The best race at Chelmsford on Thursday is the 0-85 handicap over 6f at 6.30 with seven of the nine runners previous course-and-distance winners, including KNEBWORTH. Richard Hughes’s gelding has been off three months since some uninspiring efforts on turf, but he can go well fresh while the return to a synthetic surface looks to be a positive, with his record on the AW reading 11174422442. He is also well treated at present, being 3lb below his last winning mark and 2lb lower than when beaten less than a length into second of nine on the Lingfield Polytrack in September.

MASTER DANDY can take the opening 0-55 handicap over 5f at 5.00. Michael Keady’s gelding isn’t seen very often over the minimum trip, which is a bit surprising given his record over it reads 241. He was beaten a head by the reopposing He’s An Angel at Wolverhampton on Monday, but not only is he 5lb better off with his old rival he is also drawn much better than him.

Over at Lingfield the feature handicap is the 0-85 contest for 3yos over 1m at 1.50. Despite just the six runners, five of them finished either first or second in their latest outings and two of those won over this course and distance last time. That includes SPACE INVASION who has progressed in each of his three starts, winning a Class 3 maiden here earlier in the month. Richard Hannon’s colt only scored by half a length, but impressed with the way he found more after looking likely to be caught. He makes his handicap debut against more exposed rivals.

BANG ON THE BELL is given another chance in the 0-65 handicap over 5f at 1.20. A previous course-and-distance winner, John Jenkins’ gelding hasn’t shone in his last few starts but has dropped 3lb below his last winning mark as a result, while he returns to Class 6 company for the first time since August 2023 (record 34313221). The switch from his usual blinkers to a first-time visor may also have an effect. David Bellingham