Outbox has proven form at Listed level, so looks a worthy 6/4 favourite with Betway to get back to winning ways in the feature contest at Chester on Saturday – the extended 1m 6f Chester Stakes (14:45).
This Simon Crisford trained four-year-old was unbeaten in three starts last year. After scoring easily by 2 3/4 lengths at Ffos Las, he then made all to win easing down when following-up at Leicester.
Outbox went on to round off the campaign with very taking success in a conditions contest at Newbury when beating Elegiac by three-quarters of a length.
The runner-up is a smart sort who has since won a Listed contest at Nottingham, whilst the third home Aspetarhas won a Group 2 at Chantilly and finished a solid fourth to Coronet in a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud.
That gives the form a strong look. There was a lot to like about Outbox’s return at action in June when collared close home and beaten a head by Funny Kid in a 1m 7f Listed contest at Chantilly.
Goodwood form strong for Chester Stakes
Although he then failed to live up to expectations last time out when a keeping on 5 1/4 lengths sixth of 16 to King’s Advice in a Heritage Handicap at Newmarket, the son of Frankel quickly bounced back when finishing a cracking neck second of 13 to the same rival in the Summer Handicap at Glorious Goodwood.
He looked all over the winner when taking up the running two from home, before Mark Johnston’s progressive and tough sort rallied gamely to get back up in the shadows of the post.
Outbox then found his next race coming too quickly six days later when runner-up to Kelly’s Dino, but stuck to the task well and was only beaten two lengths.
Judged on his run in the aforementioned Summer Handicap, which is strong form in relation to this, he is the one the all have to beat.
So, with the stable in fine form and operating at a strike rate of 33 per cent in the last 14 days at the time of writing, Outbox is strongly fancied to gain a deserved big race success in the Chester Stakes.
Oh This Is Us fancied to repeat success
Oh This Is Us runs the track terrifically well and looks weighted to land back-to-back runnings of the 7f handicap (14:10).
This Richard Hannon trained six-year-old has won twice and been placed once in three starts at the Roodee.
He’s a tough, consistent sort that has landed a dozen of 50 career starts and placed in 13 others.
The son of Acclamation showed a smart turn of foot to land the spoils in this 12 months ago when beating Lualiwa by half-a-length off a mark of 108.
Oh This Is Us went on to finish a fine third in a Group 2 at Doncaster and an excellent second to Ostillo in the same grade at Longchamp off a rating of 11 on both occasions.
He has looked as good as ever this season, winning twice and finishing a fine-length runner-up to Zaaki in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom.
The winner has since gone in again at that level with victory in the Strensall Stakes during York’s Ebor Festival last week.
Oh This Is Us also ran very well in a Listed contest over course and distance three starts back when a 1 1/4 lengths runner-up to Beauty Filly.
He also looked unlucky last time out at Goodwood when constantly denied a clear run and finishing a 2 1/4 lengths ninth of 12 to Salute The Soldier in a warm handicap.
Oh This Is Us is able to race in this off an unchanged mark of 105 – 3lb lower than when victorious last year. That gives him major claims from a handicapping perspective on the pick of his form.
As he also has a terrific 38 per cent strike rate in class 2 company, Oh This Is Us looks the one to be on at 100/30 with 888Sport</b here.
Bossipop appeals each-way in sprint handicap
In the first of two 5f sprint handicaps (15:55), Bossipop looks weighted to go well in a bid to retain his crown and makes plenty of each-way appeal at the 14/1 on offer with BetVictor.
Trained by the in-form Tim Easterby, this six-year-old is an inconsistent sort but a tough nut to crack when on-song as he showed when making all to gamely land the spoils in this 12 months ago by a neck from Reputation off a mark of 80.
That was his second success at Chester and Bossipop went on to finish a fine third of 18 to stable companion Copper Knight at York off 81. He also ran well when beaten just a nose at Nottingham.
The son of Assertive has been kept busy this season, winning two of his 12 starts. In the last of those at Ripon, he made virtually all and ran on strongly to account for Arecibo by 1 1/2 lengths off a rating of 80.
Prior to that, he had run very well here when a two-length four of 13 to Powerallied having fluffed that start before running on strongly.
Given how that race panned out, Bossipop is taken to turn the table on that rival from a good draw in stall five.
He also goes well for Cam Hardie and is entitled to be very competitive in this off his current mark of 82.
So, taking everything into account, Bossipop has more going for him than his odds would suggest.
Three Card Trick weighted to come up trumps
Three Card Trick looks potentially dangerously well-treated on the pick of his form and worth a punt at <7/1 with Bethard in the other 5f handicap on the Chester Stakes card (16:30).
This Kevin Ryan trained three-year-old ran really well on debut as a juvenile when a 1 3/4 length runner-up to Dunkerron at York.
The winner went on to finish a three-length fourth to now top class sprinter Advertise in a Group 2 at Newmarket, and also ran a blinder when runner-up to Dark Vision in the same grade at Goodwood off an official rating of 103.
Three Card Trick went on to open his account three starts later at York when beating Fastman, who finished a nose runner-up last time out off 88, by two lengths off an official rating of 79.
He was allotted and opening handicap mark of 84 on the back of that and is now able to race off 75. That gives Three Card Trick major claims at the weights, judged on the aforementioned races.
Although he was sent off odds-on off 1lb higher last time out when runner-up at Pontefract in a three-runner affair, he completely blew the start and surely would have gone close granted a level break.
If getting away on terms this time around, Three Card Trick can gain compensation for a yard that boasts a tremendous strike rate of 27 per cent with its runners at the track in the past 12 months.
