Chelmsford City Preview: Squats can power to success

Squats looks decent value to foil Wentworth Fall’s hat-trick bid in the 6f conditions’ stakes at Chelmsford City today (3.40).

The William Haggas trained gelding won three of his seven starts as a juvenile and showed progressive form throughout last season.

After winning back-to-back handicaps at Haydock and Ascot, the son of Daandy Man went on to perform with great credit in two runs in pattern company.

In the first of those Squats was beaten just a 1/4 of a length when third of 14 to Accipter in a Listed contest at Ayr, and he backed that up with a solid fourth of 12 to Royal Razalma in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot when last seen in action.

The form of those runs sets the standard in this contest, and off an official rating of 100 Squats has 2lb and upwards in hand on his rivals.

Another plus is that two of Squats wins have come over this afternoon’s trip, and if ready to go at the first time of asking after a 110 day break he is going to be tough to beat.

The obvious danger is the Charlie Appleby trained Wentworth Falls who has made rapid strides since being fitted with the blinkers.

The three-year-old was won his last two starts at Kempton in facile fashion, but both those wins have come over 6f and he now drops down to the minimum trip for the first time.

That has to be a concern given that Wentworth Falls had been campaigned over 7f and a mile pior to those successes, and although clearly on an upward curve the form of his wins at Kempton has also not worked out well.
In the 1m handciap (3.05), Glorious Dancer looks the one to beat now stepped up in trip and fitted with the cheekpieces for the first time.
The Ed Walker trained colt had three quick runs to get a qualifying mark and has run well to be placed in two handicaps.

The three-year-old didn’t get the run of the race when runner-up to Star Of The Stage in a 7f contest at Lingfield, and then fluffed his lines at the start last time out when third to Wink Oliver at Wolverhampton over the same trip.