Sky Bet Sunday Series Guide To The Tracks: Chelmsford

Chelmsford plays host to the Sky Bet Sunday Series for the first time in 2025. This will also be the first time that a Sunday Series fixture has been staged on an all-weather surface. Find out more about the track below.

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Location: Chelmsford City Racecourse, Chelmsford, CM3 1QP

Chelmsford is a left-handed all-weather Polytrack. The track has two generous, sweeping two-furlong bends, and two straights of two furlongs. The 7f races start from a short chute, with a longer chute used for races over one mile and two miles.

Newmarket-based Stuart Williams (15-83; 18%; +£14.15) saddled most winners at Chelmsford in 2024. The Acclamation gelding Southbank responsible for three of those, scoring back-to-back during the spring, and further adding to his tally a week prior to Christmas. 

The Middleham handler Charlie Johnston (12-69; 17%; +£2.25) fared next best. His total of 12 winners on par with the number notched at various other AW venues – Newcastle (13), Wolverhampton (13), and Southwell (11). 

Others to note included Marco Botti (8-41; 20%; -£11.01), Amy Murphy (8-55; 15%; +£36.00), and Daryll Holland (7-28; 25%; +£31.83). Murphy is now based in France, with her partner Lemos De Souza overseeing the British operation.

Rossa Ryan (15-55; 27%; +£25.36) was out of luck aboard Stormi (fifth) in the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes in April, but finished 2024 as leading rider at Chelmsford, one ahead of Marco Ghiani (14-106; 13%; -£0.81).

Hector Crouch (12-45; 27%; +£12.28) has been firing in winners right, left, and centre across the six domestic AW tracks this winter and, like Jack Mitchell (12-61; 20%; +£25.35), managed to work his way into double-figures at Chelmsford in 2024. David Egan (9-39; 23%; +£16.83) was another with a healthy strike-rate.

“The draw is important but also, they go quick from the start, so in an ideal world, you need to be in the van. There is a cutaway, so the runners’ fan off the bend coming into the home straight and it is an advantage to come wide towards the middle of the track. Chelmsford, like Wolverhampton, is all about speed really. If you’re not quick enough into stride to adopt a handy position that causes difficulties, and you find yourself chasing the pace. It is important to be well positioned for when the pace quickens further off the final turn.”

Amaysmont (Kevin Frost) was unbeaten in three starts at Chelmsford in 2024, with Dark Side Prince (Jessica Macey), and Wadacre Gomez (Charlie Johnston) faring next best at 3-5 (60%). Lion Ring (Andrew J Martin), and Southbank (Stuart Williams), also recorded three wins each in 2024.