Horse Racing tips: Our 5 to thrive at Chelmsford on Thursday

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

16:50 Cashel

CASHEL has gained the reputation of being a bit unreliable, but trainer Michael Appleby reached for the first-time visor last time out here at Chelmsford and it worked a treat. The Sepoy gelding landed a 10-runner handicap over a mile and on the evidence of that display, it looks like there’s more to come. A 5lbs rise looks fair and a slight drop back in trip should also pose no problems.

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17:20 Velvet Vista

VELVET VISTA has had a great season for Mike Murphy, her course and distance win back in February was the last leg of a quick hat trick. She slightly lost her way with a couple of below-par efforts at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

But, she bounced back to form last time out at her beloved Chelmsford when she was second in a 7-furlong event last week. Velvet Vista runs off the same mark here and is the one they will all have to beat.

17:50 Engrave

This race is s 1m 2f handicap and it looks to be one of the most wide-open contests on the card. It may prove prudent to go with a horse that will love the conditions. ENGRAVE is a three-time course and distance winner, who proved she is in terrific form when landing the spoils in a nine-runner handicap here last week. She is at her best coming off a strong pace, which looks guaranteed here and it’s worth siding with Julia Feilden’s charge to make it course and distance win number four.

18:20 Byzantia

BYZANTIA can have punters sailing into profit when this promising daughter of Golden Horn makes her debut for the Charlie Fellowes yard. Byzantia looked smart when she won a six-runner minor event at Southwell when in the care of John Gosden last time out. She is now making her handicap debut and looks like she could be a cut above her rivals in what looks like an average affair.

19:50 Canford Bay

The finale on the card is a 5-furlong handicap, and we will take a chance on a sprinter who showed signs of a return to form last time out. CANFORD BAY ran a cracker on his seasonal reappearance at Newcastle six days ago, when second in an eight-runner handicap.

If Anthony Brittain’s 7-year-old can step up on that effort he should be the value play against likely favourite Autumn Flight, who runs under a penalty after a recent course and distance victory.