BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts win Double Banded in Chester 2.45 at 5/1 (general).	Progressive stayer and most likely winner.
	1pt e.w. Som Tala in Chester 2.45 at 20/1 1/4 (1/4 1,2,3,4 Ladbrokes).	Stays well and could repay each-way faith.

Progressive is a good word to describe Highland Legacy and Double Banded going in to the totesport.com Chester Cup and both could be potentially well treated under three-pound penalties as their handicap marks are going to go up by more than that in future.

Highland Legacy looks like making up into a nice stayer but the only reservation I have is that he has tended to hang right under pressure and it might be a problem around the tight turns at this track.

Double Banded won a slowly-run affair at Nottingham on his comeback but he quickened up very well.

He was decisive winner and has improved a tremendous amount as he has gained experience and been upped in distance.

He has crept into the race here and like Highland Legacy, has a good draw in stall five - Highland Legacy is in six - as you ideally need a low number.

I like the booking of Kerrin McEvoy for Double Banded and he is a fast-improving stayer.

Greenwich Meantime won the Chester Cup last year but did not do a great deal afterwards, although he did not run badly.

He goes well at this course and you could not discount him totally but is now an eight year old and you wonder whether he is going to be quite so good this time around.

Black Rock is a son of Rock Of Gibraltar and is not bred to stay this distance but there are few shrewder than trainer Michael Jarvis and if he thinks that he will stay then that is certainly interesting as he has won the race twice recently with Anak Pekan.

Shipmaster also has a small penalty and looks well handicapped after winning the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Even though he has 9-13 he could be well in although it is pretty soon after his last run and he did have to fight pretty hard for the victory in soft ground last week.

Two good jumping horses in this are Sentry Duty and Fair Along but I have question marks over both.

Sentry Duty beat Triumph Hurdle winner Celestial Halo at Doncaster during the winter but I get the feeling he has two ways of running - although I do like the booking of William Buick for the ride.

Fair Along was second in this 12 months ago but has appeared to regress this winter over jumps and looks to have developed a little bit of an attitude problem - not lining up at times and not racing with quite the same enthusiasm as in the past.

In a way you can't blame him as he has had a lot of tough races against smart opposition but does seem to have lost his appetite.

I tipped up Som Tala in this 12 months ago and he just lacks pace but he has had a run this time around and could be a bit sharper.

I would not discount another bold show and may repay each-way support as he is a reasonable price but Double Banded is the progressive one and looks the most likely winner.