Nick Luck’s blog: Out the Gate on day 1 now for day 2

It was a great first day to Chester’s May meeting where it was great to get Thoughts Of June and Changingoftheguard both in, but now we must move on to day two where hopefully we can follow up with a couple more winners.

Read on for Nick’s thoughts on five races from the day two of the Chester meeting.

SUNDAY SOVEREIGN can take the TV opener at 8/1 on Day Two of Chester’s soggy May meeting (1.30pm). There aren’t too many with genuine soft ground form in here, but he is at home with give underfoot, and has also run a career best at this track. He’s just a pound higher than his last win, gets a decent jockey in Rob Hornby, is drawn fine and generally needs a run to put him right – his comeback effort at Musselburgh was fine, particularly as he was trapped deep on the track.

OUTGATE at 7/2 can take the Deepbridge handicap (2.05pm). I think this is a colt with a bit of a future, and I loved his staying-on comeback run at Newmarket behind a horse that had tons in hand. Although he has yet to race on soft ground, his dam showed very smart form several times with loads of give, and clearly the booking of Ryan Moore is a major plus.

SONNY LISTON is fancied to run a big race at 5/1 in the Dee Stakes (2.40pm). He made a serious impression on his debut last year and, although there are mixed messages around that form, he screamed that he was a stakes class horse. His two useful close relatives – particularly Group 2 winner Dame Malliot – were very effective in soft ground and this horse may well have found the ground a little lively at Newmarket, where he ran quite well in the circumstances in a muddling Fielden Stakes behind the very useful Eydon. He is guaranteed a better pace to settle behind here and should go very well.

JOHN LEEPER is worth an interest at 12/1 in the Ormonde (3.10pm). I don’t really know whether he’ll love the ground, but he’s a big old unit who hits the ground hard enough, so he might just enjoy it. What you would say is that he’s one of only a couple in here with significant potential to improve – particularly over a proper trip – and his best doesn’t leave him that much to find with worthy but unspectacular market principals. His yard has never been in better form, and he gets a jockey upswitch.

RESTORER – who is also in on Friday – can figure at huge odds of 20/1 if showing up on Thursday (3.40pm). Clearly there are more sexy options at the front of the market, but this one has form here and on soft ground, plus represents a trainer/jockey who have had immense success at this track. He has been sliding down the weights for his all-weather runs, while his Ripon effort is best forgotten as he was never really put in the race.