Best Bets For Chester May Festival – Day Three Friday 12th May 2017

Thursday wasn’t too bad as Deauville won the Group Three Huxley Stakes, just, I hope you got the 2-1 early if on. Ryan Moore was able to dictate from the off and the colt should pick up a few more races at around this level – a trip to the continent wouldn’t surprise me. The Anvil was third in the Group Three Chester Vase going well for a long way and leading them into the straight he was headed at the furlong pole with Venice Beach going on to lead home a 1-2-3 for Aidan O'Brien.

It is Boodles City day Friday on the Roodee at Chester and according to the marketing guys ‘It’s the event your weeks’ been waiting for’. Not so sure about that, especially as they also publicise ‘another two Group 3 races; The Dee Stakes and The Ormonde Stakes someone should let them know the Dee Stakes was downgraded for a second time to Listed status in 2014!

There has been a bit of a Ballydoyle theme to my bets thus far this week, 3 of the four tips, and the trend continues today.

The Listed (yes Listed) Dee Stakes is at 2.25. Triple G Dirty Dozen member Atty Persse was entered but will not be here with the G.2 Dante next week looking the preference. Aidan O'Brien relies on Cliffs Of Moher to provide him with a sixth victory in the race. The Ballydoyle handler first claimed this Listed prize with Gypsy King back in 2005 and has since added to his tally with Admiralofthefleet (2007), Astrology (2012), Magician (2013) and Kingfisher (2014). Cliffs Of Moher appears a major contender on his first start since trouncing talented stablemate Orderofthegarter in Leopardstown maiden last October. That man from Ballydoyle said earlier this week "Cliffs Of Moher might go for the Dee Stakes, he's just ready to start” Well he is here and naturally has to be on the short list but he is short at 4-6! Frankel colt Mirage Dancer goes for Sir Michael Stoute. The Khalid Abdullah-owned three-year-old looked decent enough when winning on his only previous start at Doncaster last autumn. Abdullah's racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, said: "He's taken a little while to come to hand, but Sir Michael is happy with him. He is going in at the deep end a little bit, so we'll see how he gets on."

Group Three Ormonde Stakes 3.35 looks to be between US Army Ranger and Midterm. O’Brien named US Army Ranger as his likely runner in this a while back and the colt was a neck behind Midterm in the G.1 Champion Stakes last back end. Midterm was of course my ante-post punt for the Derby in 2016 - did not work out well. The four-year-old, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, looked a bright prospect when winning the Bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown last April and was ante-post favourite for the 2016 Epsom showpiece until being beaten in the Dante Stakes. He then suffered a stress fracture which ruled him out of the Derby and sidelined him until the autumn. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah has been talking him up since his slightly disappointing seasonal reappearance in the G.3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury last month saying “his work since has been very encouraging and we think he's come on a lot for the run.” It Looks to me the extra distance today at 1m5f will suit, the visor has gone on to concentrate the beast and at the prices I am going against O’Brien this time and I’m on the Stoute inmate at 5-1 with Ladbrokes.

Be lucky