Maestro can get King’s big week off to good start

racing: Stratford gives ideal chance to start justifying big price tag

Stratford hosts the kick-off to Festival week, and MIDNIGHT MAESTRO can swell the coffers ahead of four of the biggest days in the calendar by landing the Sky Bet ROA/Racing Post Owners Jackpot Handicap Hurdle.

His trainer Alan King has an exciting week ahead with the likes of Uxizandre and Yanworth to look forward to. Midnight Maestro is not of their calibre, but looks right for a race like this.

Midnight Maestro won a Doncaster bumper around this time last year and subsequently changed hands for £100,000 at Tattersalls’ Cheltenham sale, so hopes were understandably high for this term.

An initial success at Warwick prompted King to send him to Cheltenham but he proved very disappointing, beating just one horse home after starting to struggle from some way out.

Given a break after that lacklustre show, Midnight Maestro returned to action at Wincanton last month but found stablemate Sir Antony Browne three-quarters of a length too good, although he was conceding 6lb to the winner.

That was obviously an improved effort in quite trying weather conditions, and while this Midnight Legend gelding may struggle to match his price tag, he can lift this fair prize.

CHANDOS BELLE can get punters off to a winning start in the Sky Bet First Race Special Juvenile Hurdle. The four-year-old stepped up on her initial third at Doncaster in December to finish a five-length second at Plumpton last time to suggest a win is well within her compass.

She looked as though a step up in trip would aid her hopes, so the extra quarter of a mile here is a definite plus point.

CKALCO DES LOGES suffered a heavy defeat last time but can get back on the right track in the Champions League Betting At 188Bet Maiden Hurdle at Chepstow. SELECTIONS

CHEPSTOW: 2.20 Supapowers, 2.50 L Frank Baum, 3.25 Ckalco Des Loges, 4.00 Wabanaki, 4.30 Ratify, 5.00 Lunar Flow, 5.00 Warthog.

STRATFORD: 2.10 Chandos Belle, 2.40 Lucky Jim, 3.15 MIDNIGHT MAESTRO (NAP), 3.50 Dr Robin, 4.20 Olofi, 4.50 Clondaw Castle.

DOUBLE: Midnight Maestro and Chandos Belle.