Horse Racing Betting Tips: Chapelli can give Norton yet another Roodee winner

WHEN you think about jockeys at Chester, there is only one man’s name that springs to mind.

Franny Norton has become synonymous with riding winners around the Roodee, with a record 45 wins.

Unsurprisingly, the veteran has plenty of rides on today’s card, but he may have to wait until his final one to be celebrating.

That’s because I like the chances of CHAPELLI in the six furlong Homeserve Handicap (4.35pm).

Mark Johnston’s three-year-old has been running well this season, with two runners-up finishes either side of a third at Newmarket.

It’s her most-recent performance that was particularly eye-catching, though, where she was just touched off by Isaan Queen in a Listed contest on the all-weather at Chelmsford.

I expect the form of that race to work out well and given she has race fitness on her side, she should play a big part here.

A draw in stall two looks ideal and there is no-one better equipped than Norton to use that to his advantage in a competitive handicap such as this one.

The forecasted rain is a mild concern given Chapelli hasn’t run on ground worse than good, but I’m hoping that won’t cause her too much trouble and Johnston’s inmate looks worth supporting at around 9/4.

Pass The Gin showed clear improvement from her two-year-old days when finishing third in a Sandown handicap and would definitely come into the reckoning on the back of that, though a draw in nine is far from ideal.

Last year’s Woodcote Stakes winner Cosmic Law is another threat and has the plumb draw in stall one, but I’ll stick with Chapelli who can give Norton his 46th Chester winner.

POINTERS

Chapelli 4.35pm Chester