Wolverhampton Tips: Chelwood Gate

Normally I’d be slightly reluctant to go against the opinion of a trainer, especially after the horse has won but Patrick Chamings was surprisingly negative after Chelwood Gate won at Lingfield.

In the Racing Post he was quoted as saying, “Chelwood Gate is such an ungenuine horse, but the race fell apart for him for once and it just suited him.” That is not how I read the race.

Ballylare dictated a steady tempo from the front (finishing speed 106% of average race speed) and the only horse to come past him was Chelwood Gate, with a rapid 21.91s.

Sectionals under 22s are becoming more common at Lingfield as the track has sped up over the winter but Chelwood Gate’s effort was the fastest in the race by 0.53s and he earned an excellent adjusted speed rating of 83.

The concern is he has run fast sectionals before but doesn’t always put maximum effort in at the finish (see Temple Road). However, even with the trainer’s comments ringing strong you cannot crab the way he came from off a steady pace to win last time. Ballylare franked the form by winning next time and the market has ignored the 7-year-old.