Chester's May Festival begins this week

The opening day of the 2022 Boodles May Festival takes centre-stage on Wednesday afternoon with one of the highlights of the meeting, the Chester Vase taking place,
Chester racecourseChester racecourse
Chester racecourse

The action gets underway at 1.30pm and concludes at 4.45pm.

The ground at the track currently is Good and the track is being watered. There are showers forecast throughout the day. We have previewed the action with our race by race guide. You can find the latest odds at SBK

1.30pm Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes (5f)

Ocean Cloud has looked an exciting prospect with two impressive wins on the All-Weather at Kempton and commands plenty of respect. Absolutelyflawless was successful at Southwell on her debut and is another consider. However, the market leader Star Of Lady M is hard to oppose. Unbeaten in two starts following wins at Redcar and Ripon, she is taken to come out on top here.

Selection: Star Of Lady M

2.05pm Handicap (5f)

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The booking of Ryan Moore for Live In The Dream makes him of serious interest for Epsom trainer Adam West. The three-year-old powered to glory in taking fashion at Sandown last time out and could be up to defying an 8lb rise in the weights. Shamlaan is unbeaten in two starts this term and commands respect along with Nymphadora who won the Listed Marygate Fillies’ Stakes last term.

Selection: Live In The Dream

2.40pm Cheshire Oaks (1m 4f)

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Above The Curve is a leading player. A daughter of American Pharoah, she built on a debut third when defeating Thoughts Of June, who reopposes here, last time out. The fifth Emily Dickinson has already franked the form and she looks an exciting prospect. Debut scorers Hello Jumeirah and Night Battle both won on synthetic surfaces and now switch to turf here.

Selection: Above The Curve

3.10pm Chester Vase (1m 4f)

The feature race of the day with £111,000 on offer. The last horse to complete the Chester Vase-Derby double was Ruler Of The World in 2013. Charlie Appleby’s team are in brilliant form and he saddles the unbeaten New London who retained his unbeaten record when scoring on his comeback at Newmarket. Dillian makes his comeback having finished sixth in Group One company at Saint-Cloud last month. However, Changingoftheguard gets the vote. He shaped as if a step up to this trip would suit when powering to glory at Dundalk in April. He has already shown his aptitude for turf and is taken to come out on top here. Berkshire Rebel and Savvy Victory complete the field.

Selection: Changingoftheguard

3.40pm Handicap (6f)

Ever Given already boasts winning form at the track and is deeply respected along with the unexposed Tolstoy. However, Pocket The Profit stayed on from a difficult position at Sandown last time out and is taken to score here.

Selection: Pocket The Profit

Maiden (1m 2f)

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Asean Legend has become expensive to follow having finished second on all three of his starts and with that in mind the Godolphin duo of Honiton and Secret State look the pair to focus on. The former was a good third at Newbury last month, but 525,000gns purchase Secret State is related to Line Of Duty and Onassis and is taken to better his second on debut at Newmarket.

Selection: Secret State

4.45pm Handicap (7f)

Nothing went right for Big Narstie at Wetherby, but he remains well handicapped. Gabrial The Wire boasts course and distance form at the track and won at Doncaster on his final start last term. However, preference is for course and distance Roundhay Park who should come on for his eighth-placed effort on his comeback at Beverley last month and is fancied to go close in the finale.

Selection: Roundhay Park

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