All-weather form not to be dismissed and neither should Botti runner

bet365 Esher Cup Handicap | 1m | 3yo | RTV/ITV4

Chelmsford regularly offers some of the best prize-money on the all-weather, but form from the course is still undervalued when it comes to turf racing and it probably shouldn't be.

The close proximity of the Essex track to Britain's foremost training centre in Newmarket means Chelmsford often attracts a high standard of runner and two of those who are towards the head of the market for this traditionally strong race ran at Chelmsford last time.

Find and Blue Trail finished third and fourth in a conditions event at the track last month and Find had four and a quarter lengths on Blue Trail off level weights.

They renew rivalry on the same terms, but it’s Blue Trail who bookmakers favour and that’s probably because of trainer Charlie Appleby’s recent form. The Godolphin man can do little wrong, but he has yet to win the race and John Gosden, who along with son Thady runs Find, has won it twice.

John and Thady Gosden are represented by FindCredit: Edward Whitaker

Find wore cheekpieces last time, but the headgear is taken off and Gosden is 1-10 with runners who had the sheepskin removed after wearing it on their previous outing since the start of 2017. The figures include those runners in his name solely and with Thady.

Maybe the best piece of form comes from Wolverhampton’s all-weather surface, though.

Odisseo had Gosden and Appleby-trained runners behind in second and third when landing a handicap last month and that puts him joint-top on Racing Post Ratings with City Runner, who represents the Brian Meehan yard that won this with Mutarakez in 2015.

Odisseo’s trainer Marco Botti has a win in the race on his CV as well, having landed it in 2012 with Grey Mirage, and he also had a prep run on the all-weather before securing that victory.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Blue the colour – again?

This race provides an early-season sighter for owners, trainers and jockeys who think they may have a useful three-year-old handicapper – or better – for the rest of the season.

All ten runners have won and most bring in an unexposed profile, but only one represents the yard of Charlie Appleby, who has made a rapid start to the new turf season in Britain.

Charlie Appleby: champion trainer can do little wrongCredit: Edward Whitaker

Last season’s champion trainer has flexed his and Godolphin’s considerable muscle in the last couple of weeks, picking up the Craven, Free Handicap, the Earl of Sefton Stakes, the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Fred Darling) and Epsom's Blue Riband Trial. The top two in the betting for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas next week are also housed at Moulton Paddocks.

By comparison, Blue Trail has not reached those heights and needs to bounce back from a sub-par effort at Chelmsford when last seen in March. Based on the form of Appleby and main rider William Buick, you certainly wouldn’t put it past him.

What they say

Richard Hughes, trainer of Ring Of Beara
I’m happy with him going into this race and he’s going well at home. That said, he will improve for the run as it’s his first of the season.

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Find
It's a typically competitive Esher Cup and he's been running consistently well on the all-weather. It will be nice to get him back on turf and he should like the ground.

Harry Charlton, joint-trainer of La Pulga
He ran quite a lot last year and we think he’ll stay ten furlongs. However, this is a nice race to start in over a stiff mile as there aren’t that many options for a horse of his rating. He’ll come on for the run and we can look forward to stepping him up in trip down the line.

Marco Botti, trainer of Odisseo
He’s progressed well through the ratings from a low starting mark and he’s showing himself to be a nice horse. This is quite a competitive race but we want to find out where we are with him. This is his trip and while he has been winning on the all-weather I think he is effective on grass and on ground that is good or on the quicker side.

Charlie Hills, trainer of Wanees
He’s done well through the winter and this race will provide some good experience for him — he’s never been around a bend before, for example. It’s a tough race, as it usually is, but if he can step forward and put in a good run then we’ll be happy.
Reporting by Peter Scargill

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