Horsebetting.com’s Chalice Stakes betting tips say Melodic Motion is worth an each-way bet for the Listed 1m 4f contest for fillies and mares at Newmarket on Saturday, 4 August. Highgarden is feared most getting weight from the older horses, while Galmarley is another each-way punt to consider. Our 2018 Chalice Stakes betting tips has more on these horses.Melodic Motion value to capture Newmarket ChaliceThere were excuses for Melodic Motion over course and distance last time out, so she is worth forgiving that run and value to land the Chalice Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday (14:05). Trained by Ralph Beckett, this four-year-old is the highest rated in the lineup of this Listed contest on an official mark of 101.
Melodic Motion is also the sole course and distance winner among the nine runners having landed a fillies’ handicap last July. Connections pitched her into group company off the back of that 3 3/4 lengths success because she was eased towards the finish and value for more than the winning margin.
This daughter of Nathaniel was beaten just half-a-length in third in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and went down by the same small margin when runner-up next time out in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.
A repeat of either of those runs over 1m 6f here should put Melodic Motion in the frame at the least. Although down the field in two outings this season, that does not tell the full story as she needed the run on return to action at York and got badly hampered before the furlong marker last time out in the Aphrodite Stakes.
Granted better luck in-running, Melodic Motion looks sure to get much closer to and may well turn the tables on re-opposing duo Highgarden and Alwaysandforever, who were around two lengths in front of her then. She therefore gets the nod and is each-way value to land the spoils.Highgarden feared mostIn-form trainer John Gosden sends his much lauded three-year-old Highgarden out in search of some black type again here and, with the 10lb she gets from the older horses, is dangerous. Although she hasn’t got her head in front this season, this other daughter of Nathaniel has run some solid races in defeat.
Those include a 2 3/4 lengths fourth in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York’s Dante Festival and when a 1 3/4 lengths runner-up to Worth Waiting last time out in the Aphrodite. Highgarden got 11lb from her elders in that, so is actually 1lb worse off with Alwaysandforever and Melodic Motion, but is still well-in on both on ratings.
The other three-year-olds that line up here are also 10lb or more inferior to her, while another plus is Frankie Dettori returns in the saddle. Plenty goes in the favour of Highgarden here, so it is time that she justified her big reputation and a mark of 97.Galmarley could go well at big priceLucy Wadham’s Galmarley brings some interesting form into this and is on the upgrade, so could outrun her odds and lowly mark of 85 which may underestimate his ability to make the frame here. The three-year-old took second a furlong out and kept on to chase Pilaster home over this trip on the all-weather at Kempton on her penultimate outing.
Both Galmarley and the winner have come out and posted victories since – the former landing a class 2 fillies’ handicap at Newbury by a commanding couple of length and the latter capturing the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. With Pilaster advertising the form again this week, it has to be taken seriously.
As Galmarley – a daughter of Sir Percy – has already punched above her weight in her last couple of starts and is still unexposed compared to most in the Chalice, she makes some each-way appeal in a wide-open renewal on paper.Your Next Bet
