Dave Nevison: my Chester Cup tip and more

He can surely break his duck before too long now that he finally has his sights lowered.

Dancing Magic is still a maiden at four and that makes me slightly nervous putting him up in this handicap, but he has spent most of his career in Group races and not proven up to that level, though he has run with credit on several occasions.

He has fared well enough with the draw and trainer Roger Teal has secured the services of William Buick, so clearly means business here. 

Dancing Magic should be able to sit on the shoulders of the leaders in what will be a furious pace and hopefully will be in a good position to pounce in the short Chester straight.

Now that he seems to have got his act together he looks well in here.

Zanndabad hasn’t won a race on the Flat or over jumps since joining the Tony Martin yard, but he has certainly hit form on his last two starts over hurdles. He has struggled with his jumping in particular but now looks on the up in that discipline and if this dual winner in France - twice placed in Listed company - can bring that form to the Flat he could be one to be reckoned with. 

His trainer is certainly no stranger to winning big handicaps in England and jockey Richard Kingscote knows Chester better than most after his long association with Tom Dascombe, so Zanndabad will have plenty of assistance here.

Ian Williams seems to have his entire string of staying handicappers in this consolation event and I am hoping that Law Of The Sea will prove to be the best of them. 

The six-year-old didn’t seem to like the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on his final two starts of last season, finishing last in both the Cesarewitch Trial and then the main event. However, he ran very well in a succession of the traditional stayers' races before that and his best effort probably came when finishing fourth in the Chester Cup. 

It might well be significant that his effort in this last year was his first race of the season and he arrives here fresh once again. He is also a couple of pounds lower in the handicap and contests a lower-grade race here, so providing he settles well for Jim Crowley he should go close.