SAN ANTONIO can give Aidan O'Brien another victory in the Boodles Dee Stakes (2.40pm) on second day of the Boodles Chester May Festival. While stable-mate CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD – a winner at last year's May Festival – can provide the Irish trainer with a big-race double in the Group Three feature on the Roodoo, the tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Ormonde Stakes (3.15pm).
The Ballydoyle handler has won the Dee Stakes 10 times in the past, including last year with Star Of India, and Antonio can provide him with an 11th victory and see him equal Barry Hills' record haul. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee the three-year-old son of Dubawi may book his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. San Antonio has been lightly raced and won on only his third start at Dundalk in March. Stepped up to an extended 1m2f for the first time, San Antonio was ridden fairly prominently and comfortably held stable-mate Cape Bridgewater to open his account. He is clearly progressing with the step up in trip and there should be plenty more improvement to come. Whether he can go and be a major factor at Epsom is debatable, but he can at least get a chance to go there with victory ahead of fellow Irish raider, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Alder.
Changingoftheguard won the Chester Vase over 1m4f on the Roodee last season, before coming home fifth in the Derby behind Desert Crown. He led for much of the way in both that success at Chester and in the Derby. He bounced back from Derby defeat with a fine victory in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot but hasn't been seen on the track since. He should still be improving after just seven career starts and this step up in trip to nearly 1m6f should be well within his grasp. He can return to action with victory in the Ormonde Stakes ahead of chiefly last year's winner, the William Haggas-trained Hamish.
David Evans' LIHOU can land the opener on day two, the CAA Stellar Handicap (1.30pm), under Hayler Turner. The seven-year-old won over six furlongs at Chester back in 2020, but has several successes over this minimum trip, including on his seasonal return at Epsom last month. He has landed a good draw in stall two and although isn't necessarily a front-runner, he should jump out quickly and has the ability to score again. He gets plenty of weight from last year's winner Look Out Louis and King's Lynn, who was second at this meeting last year, and with those both being drawn much wider on the tight Chester track, Lihou should be able to hold them off to triumph.
Scouser Franny Norton has one of the best records of any jockey at Chester and rarely fails to have a winner on his trips to one of his 'home' tracks. And he may score on the Charlie Johnston-trained URBAN SPRAWL in the Deepbridge Capital Handicap (2.05pm). Liverpool FC fan Norton rides the Roodee better than most and the 51-year-old should be able to dictate the seven-furlong contest on the three-year-old colt, who has generally led or been near the head of affairs in his races. A winner at Catterick, Sandown and Ascot last year Urban Sprawl was a good second over 1m2f for the first time at Musselburgh on his seasonal return last time. He is clearly better over this shorter distance but can build on that to triumph.
Fresh from his QIPCO 2,000 Guineas success with Chaldean at Newmarket over the weekend trainer Andrew Balding may be among the winners at Chester with CITY STREAK in the TMT Group Handicap (3.45pm). The four-year-old was fairly consistent last season without winning too much. He finished second in 1m2f handicaps at both Chester and Glorious Goodwood and third at Haydock Park. He returned to be fourth at Chelmsford City last month and may be able to do even better this season, starting with success on the Roodee.
Richard Hannon's THE CAMDEN COLT – a two-year-old son of Footstepsinthesand – could easily make a winning debut in the British EBF Ruby Anniversary Maiden Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (4.20pm) ahead of the likes of Hugo Palmer's Hackman for the Cheshire-based Manor House stable of former Liverpool and England forward Michael Owen.
Jockey Ryan Moore, who may have already had a few winners with the aforementioned San Antonio, Changingoftheguard and The Camden Colt may also land the finale, the Halliwell Jones Handicap (4.55pm) with the George Boughey-trained CANTORA. The four-year-old filly won at Beverley last month and can go in again stepped up in trip to 1m4f.
Wright Ones
CHESTER MAY FESTIVAL (Day Two)
1.30pm Lihou
2.05pm Urban Sprawl
2.40pm San Antonio
3.15pm Changingoftheguard (NAP)
3.45pm City Streak
4.20pm The Camden Colt
4.55pm Cantora
