The Boodles Chester May Festival is here, with Classic clues on the Roodee as Derby and Oaks hopefuls go into battle. Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini is set to compete against six rivals in the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes over the extended twelve-furlong trip. The Chester Vase is live on Sky Sports Racing this afternoon.
Benvenuto Cellini’s Derby Hopes
Benvenuto Cellini, the son of Frankel, had a comfortable Group 2 win at Leopardstown in September. He was then sent off favourite for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, where he finished third. Heavy ground may have been a factor that day. He begins his three-year-old campaign at Chester, aiming to emulate Ballydoyle’s Lambourn, who completed the Vase and Derby double last year.
Ryan Moore’s record around Chester is strong, boasting a 53 per cent strike rate on the Roodee since 2021.
Chester Vase Rivals
Del Maro will represent Godolphin in this Group 3 event. After being placed on all four starts as a two-year-old, he secured his maiden win last month at Yarmouth when sent off an odds-on favourite.
Proposition, equipped with first-time cheekpieces, will be ridden by Wayne Lordan. Richard and Peter Fahey saddle Mr Colonel. Jessica Harrington sends Mr Vettori into battle alongside Royal Standard, who is the outsider of this field of six for Andrew Balding.
Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks Preview
A select field of five will contest the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks at Chester. This year’s renewal features an exciting matchup between I’m The One and Amelia Earhart. The race is over 1m3½f.
I’m The One, John and Thady Gosden’s exciting filly, had a runaway win on debut at Newbury last month. She will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the stable’s superstar mare Enable by taking this trial en route to Epsom. The daughter of Sea The Stars is the current 7/2 favourite for the Oaks in June.
Amelia Earhart is one of Aidan O’Brien’s two runners in a race the trainer has won a record nine times since 2008. It took the daughter of Camelot five goes before breaking her maiden at Leopardstown in October, although she had run a number of solid placed efforts prior. Ryan Moore won this race last year with Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk, and Ballydoyle will be hoping a similar scenario plays out here.
More Racing Action
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Today on Sky Sports Racing, French Derby entrants Dolmalan and Montreal clash at Chantilly.