Brits have German raider to beat in classy Chester Stakes

Chester is Saturday’s main attraction on Sky Sports Racing with a classy card featuring the Listed Chester Stakes, while there is also action from Deauville, Lingfield, Newton Abbot, Saratoga, Del Mar and Woodbine.

3.05 Chester – Weiss star has lofty ambitions

This year’s Chester Stakes (3.05) has an international feel to it with German raider Loft the one to beat after landing the Grade Two Belmont Gold Cup over two miles last time out.

Trainer Marcel Weiss has booked the services of top rider Ben Curtis – who has three winners from 11 rides at Chester this year.

He will concede weight to five rivals, including local favourite Rajinsky for Hugo Palmer and Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables.

The six-year-old, a winner at Ripon in April, has posted two top efforts on his most recent outings, finishing third in the Chester Cup and fourth in the Northumberland Plate.

Reshoun, from the Ian Williams team, has had a busy campaign already, running twice in a week at Royal Ascot – fifth in the Ascot Stakes and second in the Queen Alexandra Stakes – before winning at Newbury last month.

Three-year-old challengers River Of Stars and Typewriter are lightly-raced and could show improvement, while 84-rated Vindolanda completes the line-up.

6.50 Lingfield – Natasha and Washraa clash in competitive handicap

John and Thady Gosden’s Natasha was tipped for great things as a juvenile and was sent off 6/1 for the Group One Marcel Boussac, where things did not go to plan, finishing last of the eight.

As a result, the daughter of Frankel has had her sights lowered to handicap company in two runs so far this season, not appearing until midway through July and running with some promise to be third at Newmarket.

Turned out quickly just 12 days later at Goodwood in a class two contest, Natasha struggled to land a blow in sixth but she has since had a more substantial break and faces just five rivals in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (6.50) at Lingfield.

The main challenge looks to come from William Haggas’ Morgan Fairy, who finished 11th in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot before victory at Newbury last month.

A three-runner contest at Yarmouth may not have suited her tactically but defeat as 4/11 favourite was disappointing nonetheless.

The Owen Burrows-trained Washraa finished ahead of Morgan Fairy (eighth) in the Sandringham and ran another cracker back at Ascot last month when third behind Random Harvest.

2.52 Newton Abbot – O’Brien’s hat-trick seeker Bathiva faces four

Leading jumps trainer Fergal O’Brien sends a team of five to Newton Abbot on Saturday, including hat-trick seeker Bathiva in the William Hill Betting TV Handicap Chase (2.52).

The eight-year-old is clearly relishing his current summer campaign, scoring in good style over hurdles at Southwell, before making a winning return to his familiar role as a chaser at Worcester two weeks later.

Although a likely favourite, Bathiva faces two other in-form rivals, including the Evan Williams-trained Peterborough, who makes a very speedy turnaround after victory at Worcester on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Amy Murphy sends 11-year-old legend Mercian Prince down south after two promising runs over hurdles in France in June, winning at Clairefontaine before finishing second at Dieppe in the valuable Grande Course De Haies De Dieppe Handicap Hurdle.

Philip Hobbs’ Leapaway and the Seamus Mullins-trained Romanor complete the field.

Saturday racecards I Latest Sky Bet odds

Watch every race from Chester, Deauville, Lingfield, Newton Abbot, Saratoga, Del Mar and Woodbine live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday, August 20