Chester Tips: Capulet spearheads Thursday’s selections

15:05 - Capulet @ 9/2

I have a lot of respect for God's Window, our current favourite for the Dee Stakes, but I'm giving another chance to CAPULET for Aidan O'Brien.

The three-year-old son of Justify was a horse I backed twice last season and he was beaten on both occasions, but in hindsight they were classy contests and he emerged from them with plenty of credit.

A narrow runner-up in the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown in September on just his second start, he was then third in the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket later that month - form that was franked by the winner Ghostwriter, who was just under two lengths ahead of the selection that day, finishing fourth in the 2000 Guineas last weekend.

Capulet was comfortably beaten at odds-on by the re-opposing Bracken's Laugh on his seasonal reappearance at Chelmsford over a month ago, but Aidan O'Brien's string have been needing a run and I believe there's a lot more to come from this colt as he tackles longer trips. This is his first attempt beyond a mile and he shapes like it's exactly what he wants.

I'm expecting a big performance under the brilliant Ryan Moore - and if we get it, he's surely booked his ticket for the Betfred Derby (currently 33/1).

15:40 - Arrest @ 15/8

The feature race of the day is the G3 Ormonde Stakes, which can go to ARREST for John & Thady Gosden.

The son of Frankel won the Chester Vase last year on his first run as a three-year-old, before a couple of lacklustre efforts in the Betfred Derby and King Edward VII Stakes. However, he ended the season in style with a snug Group 3 success at Newbury in August before finishing runner-up to Continuous in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.

For me, that's the best form on offer here - and I see no reason why he can't return to that level after a disappointing but excusable reappearance at Newbury almost three weeks ago.

He was extremely slow out of the gates at the Berkshire venue and raced completely alone, away from the rail, for a few furlongs before covering extra ground to return to the main pack. His finishing effort was then understandably weak. Put a line through it, I say.

In theory, he should strip a lot fitter this time and if he can break and travel like he normally does, he ought to prove hard to beat in what rates a weak renewal.

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