Rose Blossom, a creditable third at York on her latest start, can promote herself to the number one slot in the feature race at Chester tomorrow.

Richard Fahey’s smart filly runs in the Colin Kersley Queensferry Stakes and, despite a far-from-ideal draw, is fancied to register her first success of the campaign.

Rose Blossom finished third to Ladies Are Forever in the recent Summer Stakes, a Group 3 event, and a race she had won 12 months earlier to gain her second Knavesmire success.

She had been tackling top-notch company for much of this season before her latest start and tomorrow’s challenge represents another slight drop in grade. Among the opposition to Rose Blossom is Lexi’s Hero, another horse well known to York regulars.

Kevin Ryan’s speedy gelding won a valuable Knavesmire handicap two starts back and has since run well in defeat at Newmarket. Like Rose Blossom, he is drawn wide on the course, but, also like her, he is expected to acquit himself admirably in this six-furlong dash.

Both Fahey and Ryan have other good chances on the card.

Captain Ramius, who runs in the Halliwell Jones BMW Mile, won the recent ladies’ race at Ascot on King George day in decisive style. He should go well again for Ryan with Brian Toomey reducing his weight by a handy 5lb.

Our Boy Jack should excel for Fahey in the Hayley Kelly 40th Celebrations Nursery.

The step up to six furlongs should be ideal for the juvenile, who has shaped with promise in three maidens over the minimum trip. Paul Hanagan, the rider of Rose Blossom, takes the mount.

Storming Bernard and Big Note are two other juveniles worth keeping on the right side.

Nap selection Storming Bernard, trained by Alan Bailey, has run two good races to date, at Windsor and Newmarket, where he found only the well-regarded Entifaahd too strong. He is fancied to come good this time and prove too much for Fahey’s Arley Hall, a promising runner-up at Doncaster on her debut.

Big Note made a winning debut on this course last month for Kingsclere trainer Andrew Balding, beating Kool Henry, who has franked the form by winning and running well since.

He now returns for a crack at the Piccolo Stakes and is fancied to measure up to this tougher task.

At Newbury, Polygon bids for Listed honours in the featured EBF ‘Paco Boy’ Chalice Stakes.

Trained by John Gosden, this well-related filly won a maiden on this course by two lengths in midsummer and left the impression that better things are to come. She has only raced twice in her life, including once this term, and it is significant Gosden has now elected to bypass a handicap assignment and aim her at Listed company. William Buick has the mount.

Richard Hannon saddles the top three in the Grundon Recycle Nursery and there may be little to choose between them.

However, it is worth noting stable jockey Richard Hughes has elected to partner Dare To Dream, and that could be a hint worth taking.

Firestarter created a favourable impression when fourth at Newmarket on his debut a couple of weeks ago. Kieren Fallon teams up with David Elsworth’s colt as he aims to show in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Stakes.

Your Gifted seems to have thrived since being put in-foal and the Pat Morris-trained filly may be up to defying top-weight in the Asset Land Inc Handicap.

Kieren O’Neill – making a big name for himself as an apprentice since transferring to England from Ireland this season – has the mount.


racing selections

Chester
2.20 Storming Bernard (NAP), 2.55 Our Boy Jack, 3.30 Rose Blossom, 4.05 Captain Ramius, 4.40 Big Note, 5.10 Highlife Dancer, 5.45 Lord Raglan.

Newbury
2.10 Advertise, 2.45 Bentley, 3.20 Firestarter, 3.55 Dare To Dream, 4.30 Polygon, 5.00 Your Gifted, 5.30 Mystic Edge.

Tomorrow’s other meeting: Market Rasen.

Today’s meetings: Doncaster, Goodwood, Hamilton, Lingfield, Newmarket and Thirsk.