2:05 Chester
This Class 2 handicap over 7f127y at Chester on good to soft ground features a competitive field of 14, with several horses stepping up in class and a handful boasting strong course records at the Roodee. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Vixey on 67, with the next four principals all rated between 62 and 66, suggesting a race where course form, draw and ability to handle the ground will be decisive. Overall the numbers point to a contest in which proven Chester performers and those suited by the likely strong pace hold the aces.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners in the field the pace shape is strong and confidence in that assessment is high, meaning the race is likely to be run at a solid clip early on. Yanifer and Whip Cracker are the ones most likely to take the field along or race prominently, while the majority of the field, including the top three in the KTB Fit rankings, prefer to be held up and produce their effort late. That combination points to the possibility of the pace collapsing in the final furlong, which would hand the advantage to those coming from off the pace. The key question is whether the prominent runners can dictate matters or if the hold-up brigade will sweep past late.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Vixey KTB Selection67/100Vixey is a fair mare who has won twice here from four runs and looks well placed from stall six.
- 2Collecting Coin66/100Fair performer who won on his only previous visit to Chester and has also scored at today's trip.
- 3Yanifer64/100Yanifer is a fair handicapper with a solid record here, winning three of his nine runs at Chester.
- 4Two Tempting64/100Useful performer who has won two of three starts at Chester and handles good to soft ground well with three wins from six attempts.
- 5The Fingal Raven62/100Useful performer who has won at this trip and showed respectable form when third in a similar race on his most recent start.
- 6Five Ways59/100Useful performer who has run creditably without winning on his only visit to Chester and on his sole start over today's trip.
- 7Goldmoyne54/100Fair performer who has been consistent without winning lately, finishing in the first three on four of his last six starts.
- 8Aqpan54/100Useful performer who showed smart form when winning on debut at Newmarket last season before holding his own in better company.
- 9Whip Cracker52/100Useful performer who has run well at this track once before when finishing second.
- 10U Sure Do51/100Fair performer who arrives in decent nick after a win and two placed efforts from his last four starts.
- 11Asuka51/100Useful performer with a strong recent record of 1-2-1-1 that includes two wins this year.
- 12Henlein50/100Useful performer who arrives in modest recent form having finished no better than seventh on his last three starts.
- 13Blue Prince49/100Blue Prince is a fair handicapper with a solid recent record of 331331 and has won both at this trip and at Chester itself.
- 14Rhoscolyn47/100Rhoscolyn is a fair handicapper who has been out of form this season with a string of modest efforts.
The contenders
Vixey KTB Fit 67/100
Vixey is a fair mare who arrives with a strong course record, having won twice from four runs at Chester. She looks well placed from stall six and steps back up to a trip at which she has won twice from nine starts. She has placed on three of four runs on good to soft ground and remains competitive at this level despite the step up in class. The yard holds a 25% strike rate at Chester with an A/E of 1.61 from eight runs, while the jockey is operating above expectations with an A/E of 1.84 from 30 rides at the track. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she is the KTB Selection and looks to have the right profile for a race that could fall apart late.
Collecting Coin KTB Fit 66/100
Collecting Coin is a fair performer who won on his only previous visit to Chester and has also scored at today's trip. Recent form is mixed but he has shown enough in stronger company to suggest he can be competitive from a wide draw in stall 13. He steps up in class here and remains unproven on good to soft ground, which adds a layer of uncertainty. The trainer has a 14% strike rate at Chester with an A/E of 1.34 from 110 runs, while the jockey posts an 11% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.5 from 19 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he could be well suited if the strong pace materialises as expected.
Yanifer KTB Fit 64/100
Yanifer is a fair handicapper with a solid record at Chester, winning three of his nine runs at the track. He has won four times on good to soft ground from ten attempts and three times at today's trip, though his recent form figures of 19-004 suggest he is not at his peak right now. Stepping up in class, he is likely to take the field along or race prominently in a race with a strong pace likely. The trainer has a 36% strike rate at Chester with an A/E of 2.22 from 14 runs, while the jockey has a 17% strike rate at the track from 18 rides. His course and ground record make him a definite player if he can rediscover his best.
Two Tempting KTB Fit 64/100
Two Tempting is a useful performer who has won two of three starts at Chester and handles good to soft ground well with three wins from six attempts. He has been consistent this year with form figures of 3-2330 and has a solid record at today's trip. Stepping up in class from stall 10, he is usually held up and produces his effort late with high confidence in that assessment. The trainer has a 20% strike rate at Chester with an A/E of 1.19 from ten runs, while the jockey posts a 17% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.08 from 122 rides. His course form and ability to handle the ground keep him firmly in the mix.
The Fingal Raven KTB Fit 62/100
The Fingal Raven is a useful performer who has won at this trip and showed respectable form when third in a similar race on his most recent start. He steps up to a stiff 7f here for the first time in a while from draw nine and has no experience of good to soft ground. Stepping up in class, he is usually held up and produces his effort late. The trainer has an 11% strike rate at Chester with an A/E of 0.93 from 72 runs, while the jockey is operating at 20% from a small sample of ten rides at the track. His recent placed effort suggests he remains capable at this level if the ground does not prove against him.
The rest of the field
Five WaysKTB Fit 59/100
Five Ways is a useful performer who has run creditably without winning on his only visit to Chester and on his sole start over today's trip. He has shown little on good to soft ground so far, drops in class from stall 14 and the wide draw adds to the task from a mark that looks stiff enough.
GoldmoyneKTB Fit 54/100
Goldmoyne is a fair performer who has been consistent without winning lately, finishing in the first three on four of his last six starts. He steps back up to a trip he has won over before, has placed on good to soft ground from his one run on it and steps up in class from stall three.
AqpanKTB Fit 54/100
Aqpan is a useful performer who showed smart form when winning on debut at Newmarket last season before holding his own in better company. He has been below that level on his last three starts, steps up in trip for the first time and remains unproven on good to soft from stall two.
Whip CrackerKTB Fit 52/100
Whip Cracker is a useful performer who has run well at this track once before when finishing second. Dropping back from 1m2f to 7f poses a fresh question, his sole run on good to soft ground brought no joy and he tends to make the running or race on the pace from stall four.
U Sure DoKTB Fit 51/100
U Sure Do is a fair performer who arrives in decent nick after a win and two placed efforts from his last four starts. He steps up from 6f for the first time today, the wide draw in stall 11 is far from ideal and he has placed once on good to soft from two attempts.
AsukaKTB Fit 51/100
Asuka is a useful performer with a strong recent record of 1-2-1-1 that includes two wins this year. He steps up in trip today for the first time which asks a fresh question, the wide draw in stall 12 is far from ideal and he remains unproven on good to soft ground.
HenleinKTB Fit 50/100
Henlein is a useful performer who arrives in modest recent form having finished no better than seventh on his last three starts. He drops back from 1m2f to a trip where he has placed once in three runs, has never tackled good to soft ground and first-time headgear is now applied.
Blue PrinceKTB Fit 49/100
Blue Prince is a fair handicapper with a solid recent record of 331331 and has won both at this trip and at Chester itself. He acts on good to soft ground though he is yet to win on it, steps up in class from stall five and has won once from three runs at the track.
RhoscolynKTB Fit 47/100
Rhoscolyn is a fair handicapper who has been out of form this season with a string of modest efforts. He has run twice at Chester without placing, his yard's record here is below par and the step back up to 7f is no issue as he has won at the trip, though recent form and draw in stall one are both negatives on good to soft ground.
KTB verdict
Vixey is the KTB Selection. She is a fair mare with a fine record at Chester, having won twice from four runs at the track, and she looks well placed from stall six in a race where the strong pace is expected to collapse late. Her three placings from four runs on good to soft ground further strengthen her claims, as does the yard's 25% strike rate at the course. The main dangers are Collecting Coin, who won on his only previous visit to Chester and has shown enough in stronger company, and Yanifer, who boasts three course wins and four victories on good to soft. Two Tempting, with two wins from three runs at the track, and The Fingal Raven, who was a respectable third last time, complete the principals who could feature if the race develops as anticipated.
KTB Selection Vixey
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:02 UTC, 22 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Asuka | 11/4 | Bet Victor |
This is the narrative read of the 2:05 Chester. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Chester racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horses are likely to set the strong pace?
Yanifer and Whip Cracker are the two habitual front-runners in the field.
Why does the pace shape favour hold-up horses?
The strong pace with two or more front-runners could collapse late, which would favour hold-up horses.
How many wins has Vixey recorded at Chester?
Vixey has won twice here from four runs.
Which principal is unproven on good to soft ground?
Collecting Coin, The Fingal Raven and Asuka have no runs on good to soft.
Which horse is wearing first-time headgear?
Henlein is fitted with first-time headgear.
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