Chester Stakes betting tips: Duretto impossible to oppose in Roodee feature

Betting Tips · -

Duretto is miles clear of his rivals on official ratings, so has to be the main selection for Horsebetting.com experts in their 2018 Chester Stakes betting tips. Hochfield is unbeaten in two runs at the Roodee, so rates the main danger in the 1m 6f Listed contest on Saturday, 1 September. Here And Now bolted up last time out, so is another well worthy of consideration and capable of going close. For full details, read our in-depth 2018 Chester Stakes betting tips preview.Duretto a worthy favourite for Chester Stakes gloryDuretto, who runs Chester well, looks a cut-above his rivals and a worthy favourite to land the feature race there on Saturday, the Listed 1m 6f Chester Stakes (15:15). This Andrew Baling trained gelding has won once and been placed twice from four starts at the Roodee.

In the last of those successes 11 months ago, the six-year-old overcame trouble in-running to comfortably beat Across The Stars in a similar grade affair over an extended 1m 4f. He went on to round off the campaign with a solid fifth of 13 to Order Of St George in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day at Ascot over 2m.

Duretto has had just three starts this season and ran really well on the second of those when beaten just a length into third behind Marmellion in Grand Cup Stakes at York – another Listed contest run over the 1m 6f trip of this. He has since finished a cracking three-quarters of a length third to Best Solution in a Group 2 at Newmarket.

The form of the latter looks strong as the runner-up Mirage Dancer has since won a Group 3 at Goodwood, whilst Muntahaa – who finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Duretto in fourth – has since landed the valuable Ebor Handicap at York under a big weight in emphatic fashion.

Those efforts have earned Duretto an official rating of 114, which is the highest in the six-runner field and gives him 11lb and upwards in hand on his rivals. It gives the son of Manduro outstanding claims in what is a far weaker contest.

On all know form, he should be winning this with the minimum of fuss, thus Duretto cannot be opposed. He rates a solid punt, especially at odds against, and so heads our 2018 Chester Stakes betting tips.Hochfeld course form makes him a contenderRecord-breaking trainer Mark Johnston saddles Hochfeld and this four-year-old has 11lb to find with Duretto on ratings, so faces an uphill task. However, he is one from one over course and distance and unbeaten in two starts at the historic venue.

Proven course form is a big plus at Chester, so Hochfeld looks the one most likely to take advantage should Duretto fail to live up to expectations. The son of Cape Cross enjoyed a good 2017 when winning three times, though is yet to get his head in front in four starts this season, but has shaped well in his last two starts.

In the first of those, Hochfeld finished a keeping on five-length fifth of 13 to Sir Chauvelin in a competitive class 2 handicap at Goodwood. He backed that up with a similar effort when a 5 3/4 lengths fourth of 16 to Here And Now at York.

Hochfeld now meets Here And Now on 11lb better terms, so there isn’t much to choose between the pair on the book. He appears to be building up to a big performance and it looks significant that Franny Norton, who rides the track supremely well, is now back in the saddle.

He is three from three on Hochfeld and – if the pair are allowed a soft lead – they could prove tough to peg back and pass. It’s Hochfeld that comes the closest in our view to being a credible alternative to the red-hot favourite here.Here And Now not to be underestimatedThe aforementioned Here And Now also has to enter calculations, given that he bolted up by five lengths at York last time out and comes into the race at the top of his game.

He has won once and been placed once in three starts at the track.

That victory, in May of Last year, came in an eight-runner handicap where he beat none other than subsequent multiple Group 1 winner and star stayer Stradivarius in receipt of 13lb. Teodoro, who finished fourth, has also gone on to capture a Group 3 at Haydock this season.

Even allowing for the fact that Stradivarius has improved way beyond that run since, the form still reads well in the context of this contest. Harry Bentley, who steered the Ralph Beckett trained four-year-old to victory on the Knavesmire 10 days ago, is also once again in the saddle.

So, taking everything into account, Here And Now is no forlorn hope despite being rated 14lb inferior to Duretto – as he may well yet be open to further improvement and looks well worth a crack at this level. He has solid each-way claims among oue 2018 Chester Stakes betting tips, with bookmakers paying just two places.Your Next Bet

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