Author: Ashley Symonds

There’s been plenty of talk ahead of this weekend, but it’s now time for the finalised fancies on Epsom Oaks Day 2025.

I look forward to this weekend every year, for obvious reasons. The uniqueness and complexities of Epsom are unmatched, and the sheer unknown that surrounds a few of these Classic hopefuls is always intriguing.

Below, I have three bets for the day, including a 16/1-shot in the Oaks. Let’s go.

Epsom Oaks Day 2025 Selections

1:30 Epsom – Hallasan @ 7/2 with William Hill – 1pt Win

I want to take on Diego Ventura in the Listed Surrey Stakes as I’m not too sold on his form/ability, and Hallasan is a worthy horse to do this with.

He should richly enjoy the return to seven furlongs having run over six at Ascot in April on what was his first UK start of 2025.

His two other runs of this year came in Meydan, one of which was when seventh behind stablemate Ruling Court, and the other saw him beat his other stablemate Al Qudra.

That effort in the Jumeirah Guineas didn’t go to plan as he wasn’t able to dictate from the front. This is something he did in the Jumeirah Guineas Trial, and he could well get the same liberty tomorrow as he is one of the main pace angles alongside The Waco Kid.

Well done HALLASAN! 💙

The Pinatubo gelding beat fellow #Goffsgrad Al Qudra in the Jumeirah Guineas Trial at @RacingDubai, for @rpmullen1 and Charlie Appleby.

He was a 2023 #GoffsPremier grad, consigned by @longviewstud and bought by @godolphin

📹 Dubai Racing Club pic.twitter.com/FJw4lKgYXL

— Goffs Middle East (@GoffsMiddleEast) February 1, 2025

As a juvenile, he beat the subsequent French Derby winner, Camille Pisarro, in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, and he looked very good when winning a Nottingham maiden on good to soft ground in July.

With race fitness on his side, the step up in trip should suit, and he’s my play.

4:00 Epsom – Minnie Hauk @ 9/2 with William Hill (1pt Win) & Wemightakedlongway @ 14/1 with William Hill (3 places) (0.5pt EW)

I’m really looking forward to the Oaks. If Desert Flower duly obliges on her first start at 1m4f with rain-softened ground, then that will be an epic performance.

For me, however, I’m backing Minnie Hauk and Wemightakedlongway, who were 1-2 in a Cork maiden last October.

Joseph O’Brien’s daughter of Australia was the winner that day, and she looked very impressive. She even went off a very competitive 2/1 on the day, with Minnie Hauk priced at 13/8, so there was obviously some confidence behind her.

✅ Off the mark

Wemightakedlongway (Australia) opens her account at the seond time of asking in nice style @corkracecourse | @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/Yyf3dnRcQn

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 1, 2024

From there, Wemightakedlongway went to the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes 18 days later and finished a respectable third behind Sigh No More and Trinity College. The latter has since finished fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club.

Her fifth to Delacroix and Lambourn in the Ballysax Stakes was a reasonable effort on her seasonal reappearance, and she sprinted through the line on soft ground over 1m2f in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes.

She will handle any cut in the ground, and I’m intrigued by this step up in trip.

As for Minnie Hauk, for her first run of the season, she was impressive in the Cheshire Oaks. As with all Aidan O’Brien-trained runners, one can expect her to come on for the run, especially due to her size as she does look like a big filly.

Minnie Hauk does the business in the Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks 🥇#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces pic.twitter.com/yCHYg7duc6

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 7, 2025

Away from the form book, a look at her pedigree would excite anyone as she is by Frankel out of Kingman’s half-sister, Multilingual. That also makes her a half-sister to Tilsit, a Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes winner.

The rain will be of no hindrance to her chances, so I’ll keep her on side.

Oh, and Qilin Queen has been on my radar for this race ever since Newbury, but I have a bad feeling that the ground might have gone against her. Out of the Sea The Stars mare Seagull (good to firm winner), her half-brother, Savvy Knight, saved his best form for better ground and has been a non-runner on soft before. It’s a real shame for connections, but she is still a smart horse for this season.

We’re one week away from Epsom Derby Day, but before then, we have the Haydock John Of Gaunt Stakes to look forward to.

It’s not a vintage weekend, but there is plenty of racing to look at, and I have three fancies to consider.

Let’s roll on.

Haydock John Of Gaunt Stakes Day

2:23 Haydock – Jasour @ 10/3 with William Hill – 1pt Win

The Listed Achilles Stakes is a nice open race, but I think the market has this correct. No Half Measures and Jasour are the top two in the betting, but it is the latter that I prefer.

While I appreciate that the likes of Shagraan and Seven Questions could step up, Jasour is the one with solid Group 1 form in the book having finished third in the Commonwealth Cup and sixth in the July Cup last season.

He also won the Commonwealth Cup Trial on his first start of the season, which is a good omen ahead of this seasonal reappearance.

That Commonwealth Cup form with Inisherin, Lake Forest, and Kind Of Blue is strong in this field, and his win at Ascot in May on good to soft ground suggests he can handle any juice in Haydock’s surface this weekend.

He’s a good animal, and I think he has the ability to win this race.

2:58 Haydock – Shaha @ 9/4 with William Hill – 1pt Win

I’m happy to take on Estrange in the Group 3 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes, and the one I’m going to do it with is Shaha.

His opening win of the season at Goodwood can be upgraded as it was his first run of the year, and Scenic finishing second sets a good standard.

Furthermore, the daughter of Cracksman was a good second at Ascot on debut in May 2024, and the winner that day was Diamond Rain. She’s gone on to beat Running Lion in the Listed Hedge Of Oak Stakes recently, so that form has worked out.

Out of the Group 1-placed Board Meeting, she is from the family of the two-time Group 1 winner Bright Sky. This quick look at her pedigree is very promising.

This isn’t a vintage renewal of the Group 3 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes, and Shaha is the one I’m with.

3:15 York – Term Of Endearment @ 3/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win

She may be trained and ridden by someone different, and the silks she’ll be sporting have also changed, but I think Term Of Endearment can land the Group 3 Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes.

The six-year-old by Sea The Moon won last year’s renewal for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, but since then, she’s won a Group 2 and been sold to Zhang Yuesheng for 1,300,000gns.

Connections clearly have breeding aspirations for the future with her, but I think it’s telling that she is sticking around for another season. Do they think she is good enough to get Group 1 black type? Potentially.

Her form suggests that this is not an outlandish claim either, as she beat Night Sparkle twice before she went on to finish fourth in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup and second in the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes.

Caius Chorister, fourth in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on Champions Day, was also three lengths behind Term Of Endearment in the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

I am slightly worried that this is her first start in the UK of 2025, though I’m hopeful that she should be fit enough having run in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup 56 days ago.

If she is, the recent rain we’ve had will help take the sting out of the ground for her, and she can become the first two-time winner of the Group 2 Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes.

Classic action is back on our screens this weekend, and it starts on Saturday with Irish 2000 Guineas Day from the Curragh.

As we roll towards the end of May, it’s worth sharing how the P/L is for the last few months.

If you luckily decided to take a few months’ break from racing during March and April, I think you may be the richest horse racing fan in all the land as a fair few punters have had a tough time, myself included.

Cheltenham, Aintree, and Punchestown were poor, and that reflects in both P/L scores for these months. We left March with -25.75pts, and April was -33.97. Lovely stuff.

However, May has been kinder as we are up 17.015pts from 52.5pts staked (32.4% ROI). Long live the Flat.

Let’s hope this month’s momentum can continue with my Irish 2000 Guineas Day selections.

Irish 2000 Guineas Day

2:25 Haydock – Running Lion @ 15/8 with Betfred – 2pt Win

On the Only Fools Love Horses video earlier in the week, I highlighted Running Lion as my bet of the weekend, and I still believe this.

The five-year-old by Roaring Lion was an expensive horse to follow last year based on her efforts at Epsom and Newmarket. However, when she was right, she was very good.

She bolted up in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot before chasing home Friendly Soul in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at the end of the season.

That Prix de l’Opera is a race I’ll be following going forward. Friendly Soul is a proper Group 1 animal, Sparkling Plenty (third) is a Group 1 winner who has great form with Opera Singer and Bluestocking, and Fallen Angel (fourth) won last season’s Irish 1000 Guineas.

John & Thady Gosden blew the cobwebs off Running Lion at Newmarket earlier in the month, and with the benefit of race fitness, she should really appreciate this drop down in class for the Listed Hedge Of Oak Stakes.

I think she’ll win if she is her usual self, as she is prone to daggering her heels in.

3:05 Curragh – Iberian @ 7/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win

Iberian was a bit unlucky in the Listed Cammidge Trophy Stakes in March, and it would be remiss of me not to back him in this Group 2 Greenlands Stakes.

He made good progress through the race last time out, but his violent swerve to the left ultimately cost him the race. He pulled well clear of the third, Marshman, and ran into Spycatcher, a horse who loves going well fresh. He should have won.

I’m not overly worried by many of his rivals on Saturday, though I do appreciate that Storm Boy, an Australian Group 3 winner, could well be anything. On his first start of the season, and his first start for Aidan O’Brien, I’m happy to take him on.

The case to back him this weekend is similar to the reasons behind backing him at Doncaster in March. His form ahead of Sunway and Rosallion as a juvenile looks good, and he even ran a good race in City Of Troy’s Dewhurst before not truly seeing out the seven-furlong test.

Furthermore, although the Cammidge Trophy was his long-term target (so he was prepped for it), he might benefit from that outing fitness-wise as it was his first run for 105 days.

He can land a race like this.

3:40 Curragh – Rashabar @ 14/1 with Betfred (3 places) – 1pt EW

The Irish 2000 Guineas is a proper race this year, and a number of horses could feasibly win in my eyes, however, Rashabar looks a bit too big to me.

Brian Meehan explicitly stated that he was always going to come on for his run in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury last month, and yet, he still finished a very good second to Jonquil.

The Juddmonte-owned winner went on to finish a good second to Henri Matisse in the French 2000 Guineas, and even the fourth, Diablo Rojo, chased home Big Mojo in the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes, so that form has been franked.

As for his juvenile season, there is a lot to like. His second to Whistlejacket in the Group 1 Prix Morny was a big rub, as was his second to Camille Pissarro in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, where he finished ahead of Field Of Gold and Henri Matisse.

It’s also easy to forget that he won the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at 80/1 from the wrong side of the track. He was positioned on the far side, while the horses positioned second to tenth were on the near side.

Based on this case, 16/1 is a tasty price.

The York Dante Festival is over, but the competitive Group action continues with the Newbury Lockinge Stakes Day on Saturday.

York has treated us kindly so far this week. We’ve had two winners at 6/4 (2pt NAP) and 11/2, and we came very close to landing another 2pt NAP with Harry’s Girl in the opener.

Hopefully, we can round off the week in a good fashion at Newbury.

Newbury Lockinge Stakes Day

12:50 Newbury – Al Aasy @ 3/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win

I’ve really become a fan of Al Aasy over the last season and a half, and on his return to Newbury, I think he can win the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes.

He’s won four times at the track, and the latest came in August 2024 on good to firm ground, so the conditions of the contest are right up his street.

The eight-year-old gelding by SEA THE STARS looked to be right at his best last season, and I was quite surprised when he won the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes last time out because, well, I thought the old boy might need his first run of the season over a slightly shorter distance.

Ancient Wisdom, the runner-up, had the benefit of race fitness that day, as did Royal Champion, the fourth. Furthermore, although she improved for fitness, See The Fire (fifth) has franked the form by winning the Group 2 Middleton Fillies’ Stakes.

Yes, he has a penalty to carry, but it’s only a 3lb penalty because he is a Group 3 specialist, and he had to carry the same penalty when smashing Al Qareem in last season’s Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

The William Haggas yard is in decent form currently (32% strike rate), so he is my fancy in the race.

1:25 Newbury – Ides Of March @ 6/4 with Betfred – 2pt Win

Yes, he’s short, but I think there’s a lot to like about Ides Of March in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes.

He’s the type of horse that could be seen back at the Breeders’ Cup later this season, because he does love quick ground.

The son of Wootton Bassett won on good to firm at the Curragh in August before finishing a solid seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint two starts later on firm ground.

That may not seem like a good result, but he was positioned right out the back of the field under Frankie Dettori and stayed on for pressure even when the win was out of his reach.

Arizona Blaze (2^nd), Big Mojo (4^th), and Whistlejacket (5^th) have all won Group/Listed races this season, so that has provided a nice form boost.

The Listed race Whistlejacket won at the start of the year included IDES OF MARCH, and he nearly stole it from the front under Wayne Lordan. Considering that it was his first start of the season, and it came on soft ground, the performance can be upgraded.

Other bits of his juvenile season form look good now, none more so than his third to stablemate The Lion In Winter over seven furlongs at the Curragh in July. They actually sent Ides Of March off as the favourite that day, and Ryan Moore chose him too. That says enough to suggest what they thought of him last year.

All in, I think this is a winnable race.

3:10 Newbury – Qilin Queen @ 6/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW

Qilin Queen has seen her form receive multiple boosts over the last few weeks, and she has a lovely racing attitude, so I’m backing her to win the Listed Childwickbury Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes.

After her Salisbury success in August, she went to Haydock for the Listed Ascendant Stakes against the boys and finished second to Charlie Fellowes’ Luther

Luther has since finished a good fourth in the French 2000 Guineas, and Eternal Elixir (102), Hawksbill (95), and Linwood (93) all set a good standard from last year’s Ascendant Stakes.

The Pinatubo three-year-old started this season well by finishing third in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on her first start at 10 furlongs. Life Is Beautiful, the third, chased home yesterday’s Listed Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes winner Kon Tiki at Kempton, so collaterally, the form of this year’s Pretty Polly doesn’t look too bad.

This is a natural Epsom Oaks Trial, and she does have an entry for the next British Classic, as do Likealot and Ecstatic. This is a competitive potential stepping stone to Epsom, but Qilin Queen has a nice profile.

The York Dante Festival is in full swing, and after a tricky first day on the Knavesmire, we’re back for the second day of the meeting.

Before today, I had forgotten just how hard it is to punt at York. Take the fifth race on Wednesday, as an example.

There were countless hard-luck stories, and if you were one of the unfortunate ones who backed either Gallant or Perfect Part, you were probably spitting feathers after the race.

The draw bias at York is prominent, and that will naturally create plenty of eye-catching losers, so tread carefully this week.

With this in mind, just three horses appeal to me on Thursday, and here they are.

York Dante Festival Day 2

2:10 York – Shagraan @ 15/2 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW

Shagraan was a favourite of mine in the sprinting division last season, and I’m happy to chance him again with the benefit of a run under his belt.

There doesn’t seem to be many “well-handicapped” horses in this field, and while I don’t think Shagraan is chucked in off 101, he was able to get the job done off 93 and 98 last season, so he is a high-class animal.

He also loves fast ground, and he was a staying-on fifth at York in August 2024, so he handles the course.

I think low draws could have a say in this handicap, so coming out of 14 isn’t ideal. Still, I’m not too enamoured by the horses drawn low, and Shagraan will naturally drift over to the far side anyway.

A helping of luck is needed in these York handicaps, but this improving four-year-old could still have more to offer.

3:13 York – See The Fire @ 6/4 with Betfred – 2pt Win

She is well found in the market, but See The Fire has an obvious chance in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies’ Stakes.

When she got her preferred quick ground last season, she put in some huge performances, notably when winning the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at this track in August and finishing second to Opera Singer in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

She also finished a fine fifth in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes over a mile, a race that produced Porta Fortuna (two-time Group 1 winner since), Opera Singer (fifth in the Arc), Ramatuelle (Group 1 winner in the Prix de la Foret), and Content (Irish Oaks runner-up and Yorkshire Oaks winner subsequently).

Based on her win in the Strensall Stakes, second in the Nassau Stakes, and fifth in the Champion Stakes, See The Fire is a better horse over 1m2f, so this effort over a mile can be upgraded.

Her efforts behind City Of Troy in the Eclipse and Anmaat in the Champion Stakes came on soft ground, so those performances can also be upgraded, and I think she will win this.

5:25 York – Pantile Warrior @ 9/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 0.5pt EW

In the finale, I want to have something small on Pantile Warrior on his second start in handicap company.

This three-year-old by Frankel is a half-brother to the Group 2 winner Beshaayir, and he’s shown promise since his debut at Sandown in July.

On his second start, he ran a fine race over seven furlongs to finish second to Ruling Court, the eventual 2000 Guineas winner, and two starts later, he finished another good second to the now 104-rated Glittering Legend.

I’ll forgive Pantile Warrior for his last run at Doncaster in March, and he has always shaped that further distances would suit his running style, so this step up in trip could encourage improvement.

Ryan Moore is booked to do the steering, which is obviously a positive, and a handicap mark of 87 looks lenient based on his form.

The Flat campaign really is in full swing now, and the three-day York Dante Festival is one of the early-season highlights.

Action on the Knavesmire is set to be excellent this week, and there should be a few nice betting angles to look into before Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes Day at Newbury.

Fresh from a profitable week, one that included winners at 13/2, 4/1, 7/4, 6/4, and 11/8, hopefully this momentum can continue.

York Dante Festival 2025 Day 1

2:10 York – Marhaba The Champ @ 13/2 with William Hill – 1pt EW

There’s been plenty of early money for Marhaba The Champ in the opening race of the York Dante Festival, and I can see why.

He won at this meeting two years ago over 1m2f with an official rating of 90, and he finished a good fourth in a Class 2 handicap at Ayr off 92 in September 2024.

So, with a mark of 86 now, he looks well-weighted, and connections have decided to get a run into him ahead of this year’s renewal of the race.

He won on his seasonal reappearance two years ago, but he was disappointing in this race last year when they tried to do the same. Getting race fitness into any horse has to be a positive, and the six-year-old by Galileo has two wins from four outings around York.

Although his last run at Pontefract was his seasonal reappearance, he actually showed some promise in seventh, and stepping back up in trip should benefit him.

A few of his opponents who are shorter in the market have question marks on the ground, but Marhaba The Champ doesn’t, and I’m hoping this has been a bit of a plan from Kevin Ryan. The first-time cheekpieces are on as well.

2:42 York – Prince Of Pillo @ 14/1 with William Hill – 0.5pt EW

I think it’s interesting that Oisin Orr has chosen Prince Of Pillo over Ramazan for Richard Fahey in race two, a 0-105 six-furlong handicap.

Ramazan is shorter in the market (I know, trainers don’t tend to worry what the markets look like) and he has dropped to a mark of 97, which is 10lbs below his peak rating (June 2024). He looks to have a nice chance at the weights.

However, I hope this means that connections fancy Prince Of Pillo more, and to be honest, I can see why.

The five-year-old has had a fairly quiet career with just 16 runs, but he’s won five of them, two of which since February.

As a juvenile, way back in the murky depths of 2022, he bolted up in a Listed race at Ayr before chasing home Rumstar in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes. Rumstar has improved since, so that form looks okay.

Since then, Prince Of Pillo has had a total of 779 days away from the track across three different spells, and he also changed trainer from Keith Dalgleish to Richard Fahey in July 2023.

So, he hasn’t had the most straightforward career. But still, he is clearly a classy animal based on his early work, and he’s looked impressive twice so far this year.

He made a mockery of a Class 4 handicap at Lingfield at the start of February, and he returned to the winners’ enclosure at Southwell last month to win by a neck, though he was value for more than the winning margin suggests.

He also finished fifth in a Class 2 handicap at Newcastle in March where Orr tried to make headway down the outside of the pack over five furlongs. This was never going to work to his advantage with the track bias at Newcastle, but he was an eye-catching loser that day.

The Prince Of Lir gelding still has a lenient mark of 90, and stall one is a positive in these sprint handicaps at York.

This is a slightly left-field shout, but I think Prince Of Pillo has the ability to win this.

3:13 York – Elite Status @ 10/3 with William Hill – 1pt Win

The Group 2 1895 City Of York Stakes is a funny race because you can question each and every runner for different reasons.

However, the percentage call looks to be Elite Status to me, and he’s not a bad price.

The four-year-old by Havana Grey bolted up on his seasonal reappearance last season, putting away the likes of Relief Rally and Aaday In Devon with relative ease in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes.

He had every right to do that despite his starting price of 13/2, though he did go on to frank the form in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at much shorter odds.

He beat Kind Of Blue, a future Group 1 winner, and Regional, third to Believing in the Al Quoz Sprint subsequently, that day, and even the second, Lake Forest, went on to land the prestigious Golden Eagle in Australia.

Elite Status is clearly a horse that goes well fresh, and while his owner-mate Inisherin might be classier, I wonder whether he might need it on his first start for 249 days.

For these reasons, he’s a bet at 10/3.

Saturday is one of those weird days in the racing calendar where the Flat and jumps mix, as we have Lingfield Derby Trial Day, the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, and the Victoria Cup at Ascot.

There’s only one listed race across the whole day, so it’s certainly one for those handicap fans out there. There’s no issue with a quieter Saturday before we dive head-first into next week’s York Dante Festival.

Having looked at the cards, many of the races have scrambled my head, so it’s just the two selections for me this weekend.

With the column in nice form over the last few days, hopefully this appreciated momentum can continue.

Lingfield Derby Trial Day

1:35 Ascot – Our Champ @ 13/2 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW

There’s an argument to suggest that Our Champ runs too well for his own good, and therefore his handicap mark doesn’t really change much, but this is the type of race he can win.

He was dropped 1lb for his third at Plumpton in the Sussex Champion Hurdle, though being beaten by Absurde and Daddy Long Legs is no disgrace at all.

The form of his sixth in the County Hurdle has also received boosts as Kargese chased home State Man in the Grade 1 Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, and the seventh, Cracking Rhapsody, won the Scottish Champion Hurdle on his next start.

Cracking Rhapsody beat Ooh Betty at Ayr, and Ooh Betty is in here for Ben Clarke. I have her as the main danger to Our Champ.

This Swinton Handicap Hurdle should be an easier contest than both the County Hurdle and the Sussex Champion Hurdle, and his handicap mark of 134 is only 3lbs higher than his last winning mark.

That last success occurred at Ascot in November on good ground when beating Break My Soul, who has since improved 16lbs to a mark of 140, and Secret Squirrel, who has also improved by 7lbs to a mark of 133.

Two miles on good ground is his speciality, and he could just have too much class here.

2:05 Ascot – Arisaig @ 9/4 with William Hill – 1.5pt Win

The £50,000 fillies’ handicap over one mile at Ascot looks like a winnable race for Arisaig, who is on the up for Charlie Johnston.

In two starts this season, the Harry Angel filly finished a fine fifth in the Spring Cup at Newbury on her seasonal debut before finishing fifth again at Goodwood in the Listed Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes.

She had absolutely no run through at Goodwood earlier in the month, and Callum Shepherd wasn’t able to ask her a question in the final furlong.

She’s only four, and she was well-campaigned last season, notably when finishing eighth in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot before her win at Goodwood in July.

That run at Ascot can be upgraded as she made headway from the rear of the field and was on the wrong side of the track. She was actually third in her group, and the race was won by the subsequent Group 1-placed Soprano.

This is an easier assignment, and I think she is really the one to beat.

3:00 Lingfield – Puppet Master @ 11/8 (General) – 1.5pt Win

Without trying to fall into the ‘how did you pick that one?’ category, I do think Puppet Master will win the Lingfield Derby Trial, and odds-against isn’t a bad price.

He finished a staying-on fourth to Delacroix in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes in March, and the form of the race was boosted this week thanks to Lambourn in the Group 3 Chester Vase Stakes.

The fifth, Wemightakedlongway, went on to win the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes at Navan on his next start, and even the third, Tiberius Thunder, wasn’t disgraced in the Listed Blue Riband Trial on his next start.

Wayne Lordan didn’t give Puppet Master a hard time in the Ballysax Stakes, yet he still travelled well and quickened away when asked. It was a pleasing run, especially on good to yielding ground.

As for other pieces of form, he finished second to Apples And Bananas on debut at Killarney in July. Apples And Bananas was third to Twain and Mount Kilimanjaro in the Group 1 Criterium International on his final start of last season, which looks like a strong piece of form.

Aidan O’Brien has the top two in the market, but Puppet Master looks like the clear best on paper and he should come on for his first run of the campaign.

This son of Camelot, out of the Group 3 winner Realtra, should win this.

Chester Cup Day completes this year’s Chester May Festival, and read below to see my three selections for Friday’s action.

Yesterday was a nice day for the column as Copper Knight crossed the line in the money with the firms paying four places, and Mount Kilimanjaro duly obliged at 7/4 in the Dee Stakes.

Let’s hope we can continue this momentum.

Chester May Festival Day 3

1:30 Chester – Two Tempting @ 4/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win

On his return to Chester, a previous winning track, I’ll play Two Tempting as a win-only proposition.

His last win came at the track in August 2024 when he won off a mark of 95, so with a one-pound higher mark, he looks reasonably weighted to go well in this field.

Speaking of that Chester win last year, he has Divine Libra, Gorak, Yanifer, and Spirit Genie covered on that piece of form, and the fourth, Carrytheone, went on to land the Balmoral Handicap on British Champions Day.

Furthermore, he should be one of the fittest horses with his three runs since the start of March, and five of his opponents are racing for the first time this season.

He ran a fine race on his return to the turf at Newbury last month, and stall one is a big positive. He actually won that Chester contest from stall seven last year, but he got into a good early position. He shouldn’t have to work so hard to find that good position from tomorrow’s stall.

I do like to play each-way horses in handicaps like this, but I can’t see many angles, so Two Tempting is the bet.

2:35 Chester – The Foxes @ 6/4 with William Hill – 1.5pt Win

I think the Group 2 Huxley Stakes is between the top two in the market, but The Foxes is the one I want to be with.

Both he and Space Legend are having their first runs after a break, but The Foxes is running after 82 days and Space Legend is back after a 261-day stint on the sidelines.

Across his last three runs, he bolted up on the all-weather at Newcastle when beating Dubai Honour, he finished fourth to Romantic Warrior and Liberty Island in the Hong Kong Cup, and he finished a good second to Rebel’s Romance in the H H The Amir Trophy.

That form is really good, and he’s very good on nicer ground, whereas Space Legend has won on soft before. Space Legend did run a fine race at Royal Ascot on good to firm, and the Sea The Stars influence on his sire’s side gives him a good ground influence, but I’m not overly sold on his attitude in the finish.

The Foxes gets in here without a penalty, and stall one is nice. I think he’ll win this.

3:05 Chester – Divine Comedy @ 12/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 0.5pt EW

The Chester Cup, naturally, is a competitive race, so it’s hard to be strong on one, especially with the amount of bad luck any horse can experience around the track, but I’m chancing Divine Comedy as she could be the classic Group horse in a handicap.

I don’t like using that phrase very often because, well, I usually get it wrong when I say it, but the seven-year-old mare by Le Havre is clearly in good form this season.

Harry Eustace’s six-time winner started her campaign with a staying-on second to Al Qareem in the Listed Further Flights Stakes at Nottingham, and that piece of form got a boost yesterday when Al Qareem finished second to Illinois in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes.

She then went to Ascot for the Group 3 Solario Stakes where she had to make all in a four-runner race. She was a sitting duck for Yashin and Coltrane, but she still rallied for pressure and wasn’t disgraced at all at the finish.

Her mark of 101 is four pounds higher than the rating she had when second at Royal Ascot in the Ascot Stakes, and that race was over 2m4f, so she should stay this 2m2f task.

I’m going to chance her at the prices.

Day two of the Chester May Festival is under the microscope ahead of tomorrow’s interesting card, and I have highlighted three bets to consider.

On Wednesday’s results, Thunder Blue was notably well-backed before the finale, and he ran a fine race. He probably will come on for it, in hindsight.

However, the biggest eye-catcher of the day came in the Cheshire Oaks thanks to Caspi Star, the third home for Charlie Johnston.

She had an awful route through the race, but once Silvestre De Sousa got going on her, she stayed on well through the line.

She is one to watch this season. Anyway, here are Thursday’s picks.

Chester May Festival Day 2 Selections

1:30 Chester – Copper Knight @ 9/1 with Betfred (4 places) – 0.5pt EW

It’s great to see the 11-year-old legend Copper Knight still going as well as ever, but with the nostalgia-tinted glasses taken off, he must be given a chance in the opening five-furlong handicap.

He has four wins and two seconds around Chester, one of those runners-up medals occurring in this race last year off this exact handicap rating.

He came into last year’s race on the back of a run at Beverley two weeks prior, and Tim Easterby has campaigned him the same way this year. He was seventh in the Beverley contest last year compared to his third last month.

Although he is 11, a mark of 75 his joint-second lowest rating since he was first given a handicap mark in 2017 (!), and the horse he ran into in this race last year, Democracy Dilemma, went on to win the Beverley Bullet and finish third to the subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner Starlust in a Listed race at York.

With a kind draw in three, the experienced sprinter can outrun his each-way odds on his 104^th race under rules.

2:35 Chester – Mount Kilimanjaro @ 7/4 with William Hill – 1.5pt Win

It was a favourites day today at Chester, and Aidan O’Brien had it off in the Classic Trials, though that hasn’t directly influenced my decision to back Mount Kilimanjaro

Yes, it’s helpful that the master of Ballydoyle had a good day, but looking at the horse in isolation, there are plenty of upsides.

By Siyouni out of the Galileo mare Decorating, his immediate family includes Coil, a two-time Grade 1 winner on the dirt in America, and Chiropractor, a Grade 1 winner on the turf in America.

So, he has a nice family, and although some of his form as a juvenile came on slower surfaces, these family members suggest nicer ground will be no issue to him. He also finished third to Field Of Gold at Newmarket on good ground in July, and he ran a fine race on debut behind Scorthy Champ on good.

Those names mentioned show he has good form in the book, but both of those races came over seven furlongs. He won nicely under Ryan Moore when he stepped up to eight furlongs on Arc weekend, and he showed stamina when second to his stablemate Twain in the Group 1 Criterium International.

Again, that came on heavy ground, and he actually suffered a small bit of interference when Twain switched onto the rail, but he rallied really well to only be beaten by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

With a run at Dundalk under the belt, he will come on for the effort, and this step up in trip should work nicely for him. He is my main fancy in the race.

2:35 Chester – Hott Shott @ 11/1 with William Hill – 0.5pt Win

Although Mount Kilimanjaro is the main play, I do want to have something small on Hott Shott at a big price.

Richard Hughes plotted Bracken’s Laugh towards this race last year when second to Aidan O’Brien’s Capulet, and he used the same route as he has for Hott Shott.

That route included a trip to Chelmsford for the Listed Cardinal Conditions Stakes, and Hott Shott finished a fine fourth in that race in early April.

He also stayed on through the line when second to Opera Ballo at Kempton on his seasonal reappearance over eight furlongs, and the fourth, Quai De Bethune, was third to the promising Cosmic Year on his debut run at Sandown last season.

He ran over seven furlongs as a juvenile, so his performances can be upgraded as he has shaped like a horse who wants further, yet his run in the Group 3 Solario Stakes when fifth to Field Of Gold was still promising.

He has trained on nicely from two to three, and he has two runs under his belt this year. He could well be the big-priced runner to consider in this field.