ILZAM looks as safe a play as anything on what could be a long night for punters at Chelmsford.

Eight races, each as demanding as the next, await those in attendance beneath the lights at the Essex circuit.

There are, however, reasonably solid foundations to invest in Marco Botti's inmate in the totepool Live Info Download The App Handicap.

Ilzam is a reasonable all-weather yardstick when the mood suits, having won twice at Wolverhampton earlier in the year.

The gelded son of Holy Roman Emperor also demonstrated over this course and distance a week and a half ago that he is in a good place right now.

Ilzam only finished fourth in a one-mile handicap, but he would almost certainly have got much closer, as all roads were twice blocked when Andrea Atzeni, pictured, tried to gain a prominent pitch.

Once daylight appeared, Botti's representative galloped strongly towards the line and only went down by a length and a half to the in-form Wakame.

He might not be the most straightforward of customers, but he is not devoid of ability and races here off just a 2lb higher mark than when he won so convincingly at Wolverhampton in July.

Harry Bentley was at the helm that night, so it is good to see the partnership reunited at Chelmsford.

Pink Martini might go well at a price in the toteswinger Fillies' Handicap.

The Joseph Tuite-trained three-year-old does not exactly hold obvious claims, but the hope is this first try over seven furlongs does the trick.

It is a calculated risk to step her up in distance as she flashed home to occupy fifth spot in a five-and-a-half-furlong handicap at Brighton last time out.

With Tuite's stable in decent heart, she might have enough about her to cause a bit of an upset against some bang-in-form rivals.

A ramp in trip could also do for Vinnievanbaileys in the toteplacepot Nursery Handicap.

Chris Dwyer's highly-tried juvenile is still winless from 10 starts, but he ran pretty well at Newcastle three weeks ago and is now equipped with first-time cheekpieces.

It will be interesting to see how Cloudy Dream gets on when he makes his chasing debut at Carlisle.

Malcolm Jefferson's grey did really well in a handful of starts over hurdles last year and even finished second in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.

He always had the look of an embryonic chaser, though, and now gets to illustrate the point in Cumbria.

Assuming there is not too much more rain knocking around, Jefferson must surely have high hopes of achieving a positive outcome from the two-mile ApolloBet Daily Racing Refunds Beginners' Chase.

Newton Abbot maestro Midnight Sapphire should take a bit of beating in the Par Inn Support "Prostate Cancer UK" Handicap Hurdle.

Victor Dartnall's chestnut is a three-times course-and-distance scorer and looked as bright as ever when he struck by two and a quarter lengths on October 7.

Connections of the six-year-old are clearly keen to chance their arm once again before the ground gets too deep for the likeable mare, who should still be up to the task off her slightly elevated handicap mark.

SELECTIONS:

CARLISLE: 2.10 Broad Spectrum, 2.45 Little Glenshee, 3.20 Up And Go, 3.55 Whats Up Woody, 4.30 Traditional Dancer, 5.00 Cloudy Dream, 5.30 Dubai Angel.

CHELMSFORD: 5.45 Vinnievanbaileys, 6.15 Great Court, 6.45 Parlance, 7.15 Pink Martini, 7.45 ILZAM (NAP), 8.15 Going Up, 8.45 Burauq, 9.15 Dream Ally.

LUDLOW: 2.00 Inn The Bull, 2.30 Somerset Lias, 3.05 Authorized Too, 3.40 Dominada, 4.15 Lillian, 4.50 She's Late, 5.20 Cottesloe.

NEWTON ABBOT: 2.20 Capeland, 2.55 Tikkapick, 3.30 Peter The Mayo Man, 4.05 Midnight Sapphire, 4.40 The Yank, 5.10 Moulin Rouge.

DOUBLE: Ilzam and Pink Martini.