Chelmsford preview: Algaith and Atalan hold all the aces

Algaith has shaped as if coming to the boil, and looks the answer to the 1m handicap on this evening’s card at Chelmsford (19.25) now eased in grade.

The Barry Hills trained colt looked a decent prospect when winning his last two starts as a juvenile in good style, and was pitched into Listed company on his seasonal reappearance in the Fielden Stakes over 1m 1f at Newmarket

Algaith shaped as if needing the run, leading until being headed approaching the last and weakening to finish a 14 1/2 lengths last of seven to subsequent Investec Derby and Coral-Eclipse winner Golden Horn.

The three-year-old then duly improved for that outing when keeping on to finish a 2 3/4 length fourth of 10 to Lightning Spear in a class 2 contest at Salisbury.

Lightning Spear is a very useful sort who has gone on to finish a cracking 1 1/2 length second to Arod in a Group 2 contest at Ascot, and the fourth and sixth home – Tigers Tale and Shaakis – have both won since.

That gives the form a strong look, and Algaith backed up that effort with a solid third in a similar grade affair at Newmarket last time out when keeping on to be beaten 1 3/4 lengths.

Algaith now drops down into class 3 company off an unchanged mark of 100, and that gives the son of Dubawi major claims of getting back on the winning trail.

Trainer Hughie Morrison has a tremendous strike rate at the venue, and Atalan can further enhance it by landing the spoils in the 2m handicap (19.55).

Morrison has been successful with just over 55 per cent of his runners at the track in the past 12 months, saddling five winners and two placed from nine runners.