Nick Luck’s blog: Everything looks in place for Morando

Day two of the Chester May Festival and another great day looks in store with five races on the ITV cameras. Here are Nick Luck’s thoughts and fancies on the card.

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Chester

COPPER KNIGHT can roll back the years by taking the opener at Chester on Thursday (1.45pm) at 13/2. He has an outstanding record here, having won twice and been second at this fixture, including when runner-up off a stone higher in this race two years ago. He didn’t lose his form last season as badly as his tumbling mark implies, while his comeback was fine up to a point. The ground will be more suitable here and the draw has been kind enough.

FOXES TALES is the pick in the Dee Stakes (2.15pm) at 8/1. I was pretty taken with his victory over a well-regarded Gosdenite at Kempton on his seasonal debut, when he needed all of the trip to get on top, but galloped out really powerfully. This might be as far as he wants, but there are plenty of clues in his pedigree that he will at least appreciate softish ground, something which limited evidence suggests might not be ideal for either Maximal or Yibir.

ALEAS (9/2) looks the right type for the seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap (2.45pm). A very well-bred gelding, he progressed steadily through three runs last year, winning his last two narrowly enough for the handicapper not to do too much damage. A prominent racer with an enthusiastic run style, this track should suit him quite well, and the drop to this trip may well be an advantage in the conditions for a stable that remains in excellent form.

MORANDO (11/2) can continue his love affair with Chester in the Ormonde Stakes (3.15pm). Everything about this race is perfect for him: the ground, the track, the trip and the likely pace set up. But he’ll be a big price because Japan and Trueshan are in the field. He’s better off at the weights with the latter for their Ascot runs, however, over a trip that is more in his favour, while Japan has a clear edge on his best, but is really hard to predict.

KRYPTOS is quite an interesting runner at a bit of a price in the 1m2f handicap (3.45pm). A winner here in his youth, he ran a corker here off a higher mark last year, goes really well in the mud and has an excellent rapport with Nicola Currie. He posted a pretty decent effort on his comeback (invariably improves for a run) and is a big player here at 11/1.

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