What a day of racing at Chester, with classic clues on the Roodee as Derby and Oaks hopefuls go head-to-head live on Sky Sports Racing.
3.05pm Chester – Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini faces six rivals in Chester Vase
Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini meets six opponents in the Boodles Chester Vase over an extended 12 furlongs. A son of Frankel, he won a Group 2 at Leopardstown last September and was favourite for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, where he finished third on heavy ground. Aidan O’Brien starts his three-year-old campaign here, aiming to emulate last year’s Vase–Derby double by Ballydoyle’s Lambourn. Ryan Moore’s recent Roodee form is strong, with a 53% strike rate there since 2021.
Godolphin run Del Maro, who was placed four times at two and broke his maiden at Yarmouth last month. Proposition carries first-time cheekpieces for Wayne Lordan, while Richard and Peter Fahey saddle Mr Colonel. Jessica Harrington sends Mr Vettori, and Andrew Balding’s outsider is Royal Standard.
2.35 Chester – I’m The One and Amelia Earhart clash in Cheshire Oaks
A compact field of five contest the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks over 1m 3½f, with John and Thady Gosden’s impressive debut winner I’m The One expected to feature. The Sea The Stars filly was a dominant Newbury winner and is a 7/2 favourite for the Oaks. Aidan O’Brien runs two, including Amelia Earhart, who finally broke her maiden at Leopardstown in October after several solid placed efforts; she’s 8/1 for Epsom. Ryan Moore won this race last year on Minnie Hauk.
Ralph Beckett teams up with James Doyle on A La Prochaine, a 550,000gns yearling who won on her only start at Newbury. O’Brien’s other runner, Sugar Island, ended her juvenile season with a Group 3 victory at the Curragh and has Wayne Lordan aboard. Andrew Balding’s Winged One is the outsider of the quintet.
1.30 Chester – Adonius, Wait Geordie and Final Appeal headline Lily Agnes
The opening race of the Boodles May Festival is the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes, an extended five-furlong sprint with eight runners. Rebecca Menzies’ Adonius is unbeaten from two starts and draws stall one, a gate that has produced three of the last five winners, though he must concede 5lb to rivals.
Hugo Palmer’s Wait Geordie, a winner on debut at Bath, is drawn in stall three with Oisin Murphy booked. Karl Burke’s Final Appeal, runner-up on debut before scoring at Wolverhampton recently, is ridden by Clifford Lee from stall four. Also of note are Philip Makin’s Hickory Lad and newcomer Black Treasure, who is partnered by Ollie Sangster.
Best of the rest
At Chester, Snow Master and Partisan Hero head a 14-strong field for the 2.05pm Join Ladbrokes Bet 5 Get 30 Earl Grosvenor Handicap; Snow Master has been gelded after a promising start to his career. Fourteen are also declared for the 3.40pm American Holidays Handicap, where Kevin Ryan’s Alaminos is prominent after a close reappearance run at Pontefract.
The Fahey-trained Arabian Desert, second on his last three outings, looks well placed in the 4.10pm TMT Group Maiden Stakes with Derby entrant Alfaraz a non-runner. Over at Newton Abbot, Harry Cobden rides Hercule Du Seuil for JP McManus in the competitive Kauto The King Handicap Chase (1.45pm), which also features Etalon. Nicky Henderson fields Royal runner Bold Step in the Racing To School Reaches 25 Years Maiden Hurdle (2.15pm).