Tricky Tel

Over thirteen races overall, Tricky Tel has won four times and placed in another six, giving him a win rate of roughly 3 in every 10 races. His recent form is mixed — he has run decently when it counts (a win, a second, a fifth) but has also had some forgettable outings in between. The horse hasn't raced in three months, but his trainer has indicated he won't see the track again until spring, hinting at the soundness issues that have made him "tricky" to manage. Palmer's plan is to geld him over the winter, a move that sometimes helps a horse settle and mature.

What makes Tricky Tel genuinely interesting is not just Chester — it's what happened there. When he won his maiden in May, jockey Oisin Murphy noted that he was "so professional from the gates" despite his inexperience, and that he travelled powerfully three wide across the track. The horse hasn't reached his full potential yet. He's raw, still learning, and slightly on the smaller side, but he has the engine to handle six furlongs rather than five. With maturity and a fresh start in the spring, there's genuine upside here. At Chester, he's no longer a question mark — he's a threat.