Mordred and K Club at the double for Chester glory

MORDRED and K Club smack of a tasty twoyear-old double for Richard Hannon on ‘good’ Chester ground this afternoon.

The racing family Hannon enjoyed a tremendous August, again; so often I’ve pinpointed the wisdom of following the Marlborough-based ‘winning machine’ based on decades of statistics.

There is a tremendous following for the likes of Gosden, Johnston, Fahey etc but any bettors who concentrate on Hannon runners during the back-end will never fail to win; for Hannon senior however, it must have been a sad day when Poet’s Society, having his 26th race of the year, scored at York under Frankie Dettori.

Mark Johnston thus posted win number 4194 which beat Richard’s career total of winners before passing onto ‘junior’ several years ago; the irony stretches further because ‘the ‘old man’ is still on the gallops every day, right at the helm of a ship steering in the right direction. Plotting a course and placing are key.

We don’t associate Hannons with the Roodee but they have spotted two chances, Mordred looks a ‘penalty-kick’ in the five-runner Novice Stakes over seven furlongs.

Three rivals are distinctly moderate and Drogon, trained locally by Tom Dascombe, needs to improve considerably if Mordred reproduces anything like previous four time-handicap marks.

K Club contests a tasty-looking £21000 Fillies’ Conditions Stakes over six furlongs; an early season unchallenged Bath winner this Kodiac filly was backed to oddson favouritism at Chepstow three months later (nine days ago!) but was on the ‘wrong side’ with Diamond Warrior springing a surprise by racing alone by the far rail.

Unbeaten Dascombe-trained, Light My Fire, and four other previous winners add spice to this menu but K Club can be relied upon to recoup losses under ultra-consistent Harry Bentley. Apprentice championship-chasing Ryan is at Lingfield, for six rides!

There are 10 juvenile races spread across nine meetings which includes an attempt by Dreaming Of Love to make it third time lucky in a nine-runner Novice Auction Stakes over six furlongs of Lingfield polytrack tonight; only similarly-profiled Tigerinmytank stands in the way.

Chester, 2.40 Mordred (nap-e.w); 3.50 K Club (e.w); Lingfield, 6.30 Dreaming Of Love (e.w)