THERE is a mass of action heading into the weekend across Doncaster and the Irish Champions Festival, but it’s racing at Chester on Saturday that looks to have presented a few interesting betting opportunities.
The first race on the card, the Listed Stand Cup Stakes (1.30pm), sees the return of the admirable DUBAI HONOUR.
The eight-year-old is well travelled, plying his trade across the world with victories all over the place, but is winless since the back end of 2025.
However, he is a horse who clearly goes best with cut in the ground, something he hasn’t encountered since going close in Australia back in March.
You can write off his most recent run at Newbury, where he ran with credit over a trip that stretched his stamina on ground too fast.
Back on a softer surface, he is undoubtedly the likeliest winner, so at 7/4 he looks worth playing at this stage.
The following race is the Watergate Cup (2.05pm), a stamina sapping handicap run over two miles of the Roodee.
One jumps off the page here, and that’s SPIRIT MIXER who’s attempting to make it a third consecutive victory in the race.
The case for him looks fairly simple, as he has been successful in the contest off marks of 88 and 93 and gets in here off a mark of 92.
He is a year older at eight, but he clearly relishes the idiosyncratic nature of Chester.
It’s fair to assume this has been the plan for him, so you can put a line through his most recent runs which have come on ground that would have been too lively for him.
He looks a rock-solid option for the race and quotes of 9/2 are more than fair.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Dubai Honour 1.30pm Chester
Spirit Mixer 2.05pm Chester