Metier

12th-May-2023

I am backing Metier in the Chester Cup.

He is a classy horse when he gets his soft ground, which he will have today.  He won a Tolworth Hurdle on heavy ground as a novice hurdler, and he won the November Handicap at Doncaster last year on heavy ground.

He has had a couple of reversals since then, but his latest run was really encouraging, when he stayed on strongly to go down by just a half a length to Wise Eagle in the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh on good to soft ground, the pair of them coming nicely clear of their rivals.  And Wise Eagle ran a big race in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot there last Wednesday.

The ground will be even softer today than it was at Musselburgh, and that will suit Metier well.  Saffie Osborne is a good rider who has struck up a good partnership with Metier, and, while his draw in stall 14 is not ideal, it is not that big a negative on heavy ground.

Emiyn was also on my shorlist, I can see him getting out in front from his ideal draw in stall one and, if he is allowed an easy lead up there, he could be a danger to all.  That said, I think that Metier is the more likely winner, and that he is the value of the race.

METIER WON (ADV 13/2, SP 5/1)