May 09 / 13.30 Chester

13.30

Good

CAA Stellar Handicap

  • Prize money: £22932
  • 0m 5f 15y
  • Class 2
  • 11 runners
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CAA Stellar Handicap

Runners: 11 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 651-39 CD

Last run: 89 days

W: 9st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Four of his five wins have come around a left-hand turn, two of them over C&D; not at his best in two starts in the Middle East for his new yard this winter but he's well drawn and makes more appeal than many; seems to handle any going; withdrawn having played up in the stalls before his latest intended run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(1)

8th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 3

15:47 Redcar

Democracy Dilemma

10st 0lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Robert Cowell

Free-going front-runner; no longer the force of old but ran big race when fourth of 23 at Glorious Goodwood (5f, good) last week; 1lb lower here and could be hard to catch if in similar form again.

13/8

4th

5

(7)

28th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 2

16:10 Goodwood

Democracy Dilemma

9st 4lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Robert Cowell

Front-runner; 3lb lower than for his runaway win at Haydock last September (5f, good) but hasn't got a lot going in his last four races and was tailed off in Epsom's Dash, in which he was second in 2024; others preferred.

25/1

16/1

  • Place: £3.20

Form: 0656-7 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 8st 4lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
C&D winner at this meeting back in 2016 and 2017 and still capable of running to a useful as a 9yo last season; left the impression the run would bring him on when midfield at Beverley two weeks ago; on a reduced mark and although it's asking a lot of him to see off this field at the age of ten, a big run looks on the cards.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

7

(2)

20th Aug 2026

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

20:24 Newcastle (AW)

Copper Knight

9st 11lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Tim Easterby

Grand servant to connections and he was recording the 19th win of his long career when successful at Beverley (5f, good to soft) in May; four subsequent defeats have seen him slip to a mark 2lb lower than for that win; has won over C&D but likely vulnerable to younger rivals.

20/1

10th

8

(5)

25th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 15y

Class 4

16:23 Chester

Copper Knight

9st 9lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Admirable veteran who had a wicked draw in a C&D handicap last month that he'd won three times before; better boxed this time and there was much to like about his previous effort at Thirsk; considered.

8/1

8/1

  • Place: £2.80

Form: 113-77 CD

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Had a fine year in 2023, winning four 5f handicaps (including C&D); only 1lb higher than for the latest of them and his two runs this time around aren't the ones to judge him on; this should be run to suit and much better is expected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

10

(2)

29th Aug 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 3

13:45 Beverley

Vintage Clarets

9st 1lb

J: Ethan Tindall

T: Richard & Peter Fahey

All ten wins at 5f; last scored just over a year ago on good to firm but he's got plenty of form on a softer surface and ran well when runner-up in Epsom's "Dash" in June; also performed with credit at Glorious Goodwood and could be the type to bounce back from a lesser effort at Pontefract a fortnight ago; having just his second outing here since winning a C&D novice back in 2021.

5/1

6th

6

(8)

16th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 3y

Class 2

17:45 Pontefract

Vintage Clarets

9st 0lb

J: Ethan Tindall

T: Richard & Peter Fahey

Twice went close in June (5f, good to soft) and he ran well once more when close seventh of 23 at Glorious Goodwood (5f, good) last time; could be in the shake-up.

7/1

7th

21

(9)

28th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 2

16:10 Goodwood

Vintage Clarets

8st 8lb

J: Warren Fentiman

T: Richard & Peter Fahey

Two no-shows at Goodwood were at this meeting in 2023, including this race; however, provided the track doesn't pose any problems, he could be interesting after strong finishes in the Dash at Epsom and last time at Chester where a slow start was the last thing he needed; he should be coming home to some effect.

14/1

OUR TIP

Form: 800-12 C

Last run: 83 days

W: 9st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
All five British wins have come over 6f at this track; in good form in Bahrain this winter, winning an 18-runner handicap in February (6f, good to firm) and second over 5f (third past the post) a fortnight later; returns with a career-high mark to defy and just a niggling concern that a bare 5f around here might be insufficient, even in a race that should be well run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

(5)

22nd Aug 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 17y

Class 3

17:00 Chester

Roman Dragon

10st 0lb

J: Jack Nicholls

T: Hugo Palmer

Back to the mark off which he won a 5f handicap at the May meeting; not had optimal conditions since but returning to 6f and dropping in class could see a revival from this eight-time course winner.

5/1

6th

3

(6)

2nd Aug 2026

Good

0m 7f 1y

Class 2

15:52 Chester

Roman Dragon

9st 13lb

J: David Probert

T: Hugo Palmer

Eight course wins to his name, the latest in May (5f, good) off a 2lb lower mark; had form over 7f in his youth but this year's two C&D runs haven't been convincing.

16/1

9th

4

(9)

11th Jul 2026

Good

0m 7f 1y

Class 1

15:52 Chester

Roman Dragon

9st 7lb

J: Jack Callan

T: Hugo Palmer

Has won in Bahrain but all eight British wins have come at Chester (5f/6f); his last success was in May but he's gone backwards since and was beaten 14l in the Wokingham last time; now returns to Chester but he's drawn out wide and has something to prove back up in trip.

14/1

Form: 124221 CD

Last run: 16 days

W: 8st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
He's been rated much higher in the past and he's rediscovered his spark this year, winning at Lingfield (5f, AW) in January and showing he retained serious early pace with a front-running success at Epsom 16 days ago; 7lb rise for that far less of a concern than stall 12.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

(9)

24th Oct 2025

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 4

17:55 Southwell (AW)

Night On Earth

9st 1lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Ian Williams

Confirmed trailblazer who has won 13 races in his career (six on AW), but has finished out of the frame in all six starts over C&D; blinkers go on for the first time on his 86th start; others preferred.

11/1

8

(5)

23rd Sep 2025

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 4

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Night On Earth

9st 3lb

J: Andrew Breslin

T: Ian Williams

One of the faster sprinters in training and he belatedly got off the mark for the year with a front-running win at Wolverhampton 17 days ago; 6lb rise against stronger opposition could find him out.

8/1

1st

1

(3)

6th Sep 2025

Standard

0m 5f 21y

Class 5

18:42 Wolverhampton (AW)

Night On Earth

9st 12lb

J: Andrew Breslin

T: Ian Williams

Trailblazing sprinter who got no peace up front when beaten favourite in a Racing League handicap last time; ran a stormer the time before at Haydock and should give it a good shot from stall 3; has form here.

2/1

Form: 3444-2 D

Last run: 11 days

W: 8st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Regularly ran well last season, winning twice in five days in August (both 5f, good to soft and heavy); satisfactory return to action at Wetherby last month; possible he'll need slower ground than forecast if he's to contend over this sharp 5f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

13

(10)

28th Aug 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 3

16:00 Thirsk

Manila Scouse

9st 7lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Back to winning ways at Ayr (6f) in July but well below par both runs since and he failed to beat a rival in Great St Wilfrid at Ripon last time; needs to take a major step forward.

33/1

14th

10

(13)

15th Aug 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:25 Ripon

Manila Scouse

8st 2lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

0-5 at Ripon but he has run well here; back near his best when seeing off 16 rivals at Ayr last month but a subsequent Hamilton run (5f) was underwhelming; still feasibly weighted despite being 1lb wrong but he is another who would make more appeal on a slower surface.

16/1

10th

10

(2)

1st Aug 2026

Good

0m 5f 7y

Class 2

19:30 Hamilton

Manila Scouse

9st 1lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Running well this year, including close third to Vantheman over C&D in May, and he posted a deserved win in a big field at Ayr (6f, good) 26 days ago; raised 5lb but he was very competitive off similar marks in 2024.

9/1

Form: 819981

Last run: 36 days

W: 8st 2lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Two wins in small-field fillies' handicaps on AW this year; hasn't shone in either turf start though and easy to swerve from stall 11.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

2

(11)

30th Dec 2024

Standard

1m 0f 142y

Class 5

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Shes Centimental

9st 7lb

J: George Buckell

T: Michael Appleby

Has done her winning at 6f but the way she shaped over 7f here last time (second run for new stable) suggests this new trip is worth exploring; attractively weighted off 4lb below last winning mark; interesting.

12/1

9th

2

(11)

30th Dec 2024

Standard

1m 0f 142y

Class 5

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Shes Centimental

9st 7lb

J: George Buckell

T: Michael Appleby

Has done her winning at 6f but the way she shaped over 7f here last time (second run for new stable) suggests this new trip is worth exploring; attractively weighted off 4lb below last winning mark; interesting.

12/1

3rd

1

(8)

14th Dec 2024

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 5

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Shes Centimental

9st 9lb

J: George Buckell

T: Michael Appleby

Decent strike-rate on AW but form has been patchy since her last win April and she failed to beat a rival at Chelmsford (6f) on last month's stable debut; now 3lb lower than for last success but she still has stamina to prove at this trip and others are more solid; cheekpieces reapplied.

8/1

Form: 1/198- CD

Last run: 299 days

W: 9st 7lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
C&D win on 2yo debut; returned from ten months off to win a Catterick novice last spring; unplaced in two Listed events at York subsequently but this is more suitable and he won't mind going back around a bend; gelded since last seen; unexposed and clearly goes well fresh but his wide draw is far from ideal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

(4)

4th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:47 Haydock

Changeofmind

10st 0lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Ended a losing run at Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May and he came right back to form when claimed near the line at Newcastle (5f, AW) a fortnight ago; handles testing conditions and promises to do much better than when ninth (well-backed favourite) in a division of this last year.

6/1

2nd

3

(5)

20th Aug 2026

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

20:24 Newcastle (AW)

Changeofmind

9st 13lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Ended a losing run at Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May; not so good since and others are more persuasive ahead of his AW debut.

16/1

6th

5

(6)

10th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 110y

Class 4

19:35 Chester

Changeofmind

9st 4lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Back to winning ways with his Class 5 win at Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May; respectable efforts twice since but he would be more appealing on slower ground.

14/1

Form: 3-3834 D

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 4lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Ran better than the bare result when fourth behind Night On Earth at Epsom last month, unable to adopt his usual prominent position having been involved in two lots of early scrimmaging; this mark not beyond him and he's effective around a bend; chance if he gets it right at the start.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

(1)

8th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 21y

Class 2

19:39 Windsor

Clearpoint

9st 13lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Simon Hodgson

Superb run of AW form at 5f in the autumn, winning three in a row, two from the front; has remained in form since but he couldn't sustain his effort back on turf at Goodwood last time and needs to show he can reproduce his sand form on grass.

14/1

5th

3

(4)

1st May 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 2

15:15 Goodwood

Clearpoint

9st 5lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Simon Hodgson

Completed a 5f AW hat-trick last backend and has continued in fine form this spring, runner-up in 5f Southwell handicap last time; must enter calculations back on turf.

15/2

2nd

8

(12)

21st Mar 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 2

16:38 Southwell (AW)

Clearpoint

9st 3lb

J: Alistair Rawlinson

T: Simon Hodgson

Ended 2025 on the up and he improved again when second in the Listed Hever Stakes at Lingfield four weeks ago; a 3lb rise demands extra but this speedy sort shouldn't be discounted.

7/1

33/1

Form: 9215-8 CD

Last run: 37 days

W: 9st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
As good as ever as an 8yo last year, winning heavy-ground 5f handicaps at Hamilton and Nottingham; lacklustre return to action at Pontefract last month though and not sure he'll be up to defying a wide stall on drying ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

8

(2)

4th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:47 Haydock

Spoof

9st 9lb

J: Jack Mitchell

T: Kevin & Lauren Frost

Well into the veteran stage now but he showed he's still got some ammunition left when a 40-1 winner of 17-runner Doncaster handicap (5f, good to soft) on his March reappearance; only eighth of 11 at Carlisle on his sole subsequent start, however, and he'll need to prove that win wasn't his last hurrah.

20/1

8th

9

(9)

9th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

19:42 Carlisle

Spoof

9st 10lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin & Lauren Frost

Veteran; all 12 wins have been over 5f and is ideally suited by plenty of give in the ground; hasn't been out since Doncaster win in March (5f, good to soft); has plenty in his favour and should go well again.

13/2

Form: 2800-0 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 5lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Failed to win in 2023 but form such as his Listed third at York's Dante meeting and a second in a big-field handicap in Ireland last July brings him firmly into the reckoning off his reduced mark; low-key return at Musselburgh 18 days ago but a tongue-tie is now added; no shortage of other pace to contend with and perhaps one for another day.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

(6)

11th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 8y

Class 4

19:45 Nottingham

Michaelas Boy

10st 0lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: Robert Cowell

Always tended to be hot and cold in the past, so disappointing he didn't fare better at Lingfield (AW) latest given a decent record there; not a lot of wiggle room off this mark and is now tried in first-time cheekpieces (wore blinkers twice as a 2yo).

6/1

8th

1

(1)

6th Jul 2026

Standard

0m 5f 6y

Class 4

16:15 Lingfield (AW)

Michaelas Boy

10st 4lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Robert Cowell

Two wins and a close second to his name in four runs over C&D; tended to be hot and cold in the past, twice winning back-to-back, which bodes well after bouncing back off 4lb lower at Yarmouth last time; goes well for Luke Morris too.

7/2

Non-runners

Radio Goo Goo

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £27.80
Straight Forecast £36.71
Tricast £235.43
Trifecta £174.90

Selections

NEWMARKET:

Democracy Dilemma

POSTDATA:

Manila Scouse

Daily Mail:

Roman Dragon

TOPSPEED:

Copper Knight

RP RATINGS:

Michaela's Boy

Telegraph:

Radio Goo Goo

The Star:

Clearpoint

SPOTLIGHT:

Vintage Clarets

The Times:

Democracy Dilemma

D Express:

Democracy Dilemma

Daily Mirror:

Manila Scouse

Daily Record:

Roman Dragon

The Guardian:

Copper Knight