Race Previews Saturday 11th June

An exciting start to the weekend with three runners, Outgate and L’Enclume line up at Chester and Seneca Chief at Sandown.

Outgate

Outgate heads to post at 3.20pm a seven and a half furlong handicap with Richard Kingscote on board. A course and distance winner at the Chester May festival he is well berthed in stall 2 for this valuable prize. Richard has won on him in he past and knows him well.

A competitive race as one would expect for £100,000. Low draws are generally important at Chester and as such the main dangers would look to be Thunder Dragon & Thunder Legend. Both probably need to take a forward step, but have profiles to suggest they can. Aleezdancer was in behind Outgate at Chester but came from a difficult position that day. He put up a strong performance in against seasoned older horses next time out at York.

Outgate will be led up by Lauren Webb who rides him daily at home, Jan Kasecky cares for him.

Seneca Chief

Seneca Chief heads to Sandown for a five furlong sprint with Tom Marquand in the saddle for the 3.25pm. The gelding has an excellent course record, two wins and a second from four starts here. He travelled well last time out at Pontefract but didn’t finish as hoped last time out. Last season he progressed for the removal of the hood. As he has gotten older he has become more relaxed about racing. We hope to spark him into winning form by adding cheek pieces to the mix for this race.

This looks an open sprint handicap. Celsius has the best piece of recent form, but he has the worst of the draw. Boogie Time should benefit from the drop in grade but is another for whom the draw could have been kinder. Phoenix Star is another with excellent course form and a bounce back to form after a couple of lesser runs would be no surprise.

Seneca Chief will be led up by Shannon Passotti and overseen by travelling manager Shaun Johnson

L’Enclume

L’Enclume runs at 5.05pm, a mile and a half handicap, at Chester where she will be partnered by Richard Kingscote. The filly was slow away last time when the blind came off late and ended up too far back in a slowly run race as a result. She had had a small break before that run. She should be sharper for that run fitness wise and mentally as that was her first go on turf. The wide draw is a negative.

This race hinges around whether Saint Riquier is able to translate his very high class hurdling form back to the flat, from a mark earned for his efforts when trained in France. He could be a handicap good thing! These things aren’t an exact science and so one has to consider last time out winner Bookmark. He won on his second start for new connections and perhaps more noticeably his first crack at the mile and a half. Roscioli has rather last his way but had some good form last season and tries new headgear here.

L’Enclume will be led up by Lauren Webb. All three runners today are owned and were bred by Gary & Lesley Middlebrook so fingers crossed it is a great day for them and the team at home.