Chelmsford City Racecourse, closed since sustaining damage from Storm Eunice in mid-February, opens its gates on Thursday highlighted by the £100,000 Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions S., which offers points (30-12-6-3) on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby on May 7. A total of £155,996 in prizemoney will be offered throughout the eight-race card, which begins at 3:30 p.m. local time. Held over one-mile on the all-weather, the Cardinal has attracted a field of six 3-year-olds.
Leading the sextet is Godolphin's Blue Trail (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who already holds 20 points, as he triumphed in Kempton Park's 'Road To The Kentucky Derby' Conditions S. on Mar. 2. Second and third that day were Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Harrow (Ire) (El Kabeir) and Prince Faisal's Find (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Charlie Appleby said, “It's great that Chelmsford are doing a good job in staging a race of this value at this point of the season. I am glad it's being supported: it might not be big numbers but I am a big believer that you don't need numbers to make a good race if you get good horses, and I think they've done that.
He added “We've come out of the [Kempton] race well. What we've done this time is that we are going to remove the hood in the hope that it might just sharpen him up a little. But the preparations have gone well and obviously Harrow and Find are entitled to come forward a bit for their runs, but we are all going
there with good experience under our belts and may the best horse win.”
The field also includes the listed-winning Mr Professor (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), who is trained by Alice Haynes for Amo Racing Limited. He will run in cheek pieces for the first time.
“We've got a good draw and the French style of racing didn't
really suit him,” she said. “I think he's better with an end-to-end gallop and Chelmsford is much more of a speed track. It is a very valuable race for this time of year. It was an obvious decision to run in it.”
Dark Moon Rising (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) from the Kevin Ryan yard and the maiden Atheby (GB) (Gutaifan {Ire}) from Jane Chapple-Hyam will also line up.
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