Band fired up for Chester task

Fire Up The Band faces seven rivals in his bid to land the feature Listed sprint at Chester for the second year running tomorrow.

The David Nicholls-trained six-year-old is well drawn in stall two in the parquedafloresta.com Chester City Wall Stakes as he aims to follow up his short head win over Talbot Avenue in the five-furlong dash 12 months ago.

He was fourth to Benbaun in a similar race at the Curragh two weeks ago, in which Majestic Missile finished three lengths ahead of him in third place.

However, William Haggas’s runner has not been so lucky with the draw tomorrow as he has to start towards the outside from stall seven.

Majestic Missile, a course and distance winner two years ago, finished fourth to subequent King’s Stand Stakes winner Chineur at Longchamp on his only other start this season.

The oldest member of the party is Milton Bradley’s eight-year-old Corridor Creeper, who was a close third to Fire Up The Band in a handicap at Epsom last month. He has the number one rail draw.

Richard Hannon’s If Paradise and The Lord from Bill Turner’s stable complete the older horses’ challenge, and they are taken on by a trio of three-year-olds.

Kay Two, trained in Ireland by Frances Crowley, was just behind Fire Up The Band when sixth at the Curragh, while Kevin Ryan’s Distinctly Game and Jon Akehurst’s Tournedos are the other runners.