Chester Boodles May Festival - Day One

Very late update today, I have actually been doing some proper publishing work.......it is the day job I suppose.

No sooner are the Guineas done and dusted and we are on to Chester for their Boodles May Festival on the Roodee and more Derby and Oaks Trials. It truly is a racetrack like no other and as I have said before if you have never been, when you can, get yourself up there you won’t regret it it is a great day out.

Best bets day one of the Chester Boodles May Festival

It’s a day of short ones but there are two worth backing, the rest are a little too short for my liking all things considered. 

The Listed 1m3f Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Cheshire Oaks is due off at 2.40 and I am on the jolly for this in the shape of Above The Curve. She has a pedigree to envy being by American Pharoah out of an unraced Galileo mare in Fabulous and she has some big-name relatives in the extended family. Having run third on debut last year she stepped up on that effort winning 1m2f at Leopardstown four weeks ago; Thoughts Of June beaten on both occasions. 6-4 is short enough but I have taken a chance as the yard is in form and she may prove to be ahead of the curve for three-year-old fillies.  

At 3.10 we have the 1m4f Group Three Boodles Chester Vase Stakes, which is seen as a Derby trial and a number that have won this have gone on to run well at Epsom. The last winner of this to triumph at Epsom was Ruler Of The World in 2013, Wings Of Eagles was second here before winning at Epsom. New London arrives two from two and is one I have talked of before. I didn’t tip him on debut at two but did advise to take note of the colt; he duly won! I did tip him at 2-1 last month when he won a Novice Stakes on Craven day over 1m2 at HQ confirming he is a colt to keep an eye on. Despite not being top-rated by the handicapper he is odds-on everywhere and unbackable at the price.  

I tipped Secret State on debut at the Craven Meeting when he was second over a mile staying on late. He runs here in the 1m2f Edinburgh Gin Maiden Stakes at 4.15 and I have backed him again at 11-8. As I mentioned last month the Dubawi colt cost 525,000 guineas as a yearling and being out of Jacqueline Quest, who was demoted after being first past the post in the 1000 Guineas of 2012, is related to a number of good ones. He is a full-brother to Listed winning filly Onassis and a half-brother to several including his trainers Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line of Duty. It is quite interesting that Charlie Appleby is only sends two to the entire meeting I think, both today, and as New London is unbackable hopefully this one will get the job done. 

Be lucky