Chester

Starfield Stud's first-season sire Dubawi Legend was the latest of his group to get off the mark on Friday as his son Metamouse scored at Chester. Fourth on debut at Chepstow last month, the David Loughnane-trained €18,000 Tattersalls Ireland September purchase was sent off at 7-2 for the six-furlong contest and raced under cover early. Delivered by Hector Crouch to lead inside the final furlong, the colt who races for Beadle Brookes Racing asserted to score by 2 3/4 lengths from Koodini (Kodi Bear). "I got a lovely, smooth run around...

History was made at Chester on Friday when the dual Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) took the G2 Huxley Stakes to provide Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore with a clean sweep of the May meeting's Stakes races. Having to battle harder than Jan Brueghel, Constitution River, Benvenuto Cellini and Amelia Earhart had to complete the clean sweep in the extended 10-furlong contest, the 6-4 favourite who was last seen finishing fourth in the St Leger saw off Bay City Roller (New Bay) to prevail by a neck, with 1 1/4 lengths...

Friday, Chester, post time: 14:35, THE DEEPBRIDGE HUXLEY STAKES-G2, £170,000, 4yo/up, 10f 70yT Field: Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), High Stock (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Ice Max (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Starford (Ire) (Beckford {GB}), Sky Safari (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), Sparks Fly (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). TDN Analysis: Last year's Chester Vase and Derby winner Lambourn returns over a trip shorter than ideal with cheekpieces fitted to get him into the groove quicker...

Delayed by an hour due to a course inspection at Chester, the Listed Dee Stakes eventually went the same way of the previous day's Classic trials and fell to Ballydoyle and their exciting colt Constitution River (Wootton Bassett). While the fall-out from the lengthy delay was the withdrawal of winner's key rival Morshdi (Dubawi) as Tom Marquand described the track's home bend as dangerous, there can be no debate about the outcome of the 10-furlong Derby trial with the winner so utterly dominant. Content to wait in third early on...

Racing at Chester on the second day of the Boodles May Festival was delayed by over an hour due to a course inspection. A delegation of officials, jockeys and trainers took to the track to inspect areas of concern after several riders reported that their mounts had slipped during the first race on the card, a five-furlong handicap won by course specialist Roman Dragon. Following lengthy deliberations, it was then announced just before 3pm that racing would continue. However, the William Haggas-trained Morshdi, one of the favourites for the Listed...

Already Derby favourite prior to Wednesday's G3 Boodles Chester Vase, Ballydoyle's Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) ensured that it will take something special over the next few days to deny him that position on the first Saturday in June. Making it a dozen renewals for Aidan O'Brien in the extended 12-furlong trial, the 2-9 favourite had several lengths to make up on the aggressively-ridden stablemate Proposition (Frankel) but was able to subdue him in the short straight and register a 4 1/4-length success in a very fast 2:35.22. Mr Colonel completed the Frankel...

When it comes to Chester's May Festival, Aidan O'Brien always means business and Amelia Earhart (Camelot) got Ballydoyle's 2026 team off to a flyer on Wednesday to provide the stable with a 10th Listed Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks. Sent off the 13-8 second favourite fitted with blinkers for the first time, the Coolmore homebred who took the same Leopardstown maiden as last year's winner Minnie Hauk travelled easily for Ryan Moore under cover throughout. Sent to the front at the furlong pole, she had too many guns for the Gosdens' 6-5 market-leader...

Thursday, Chester, post time: 15:05, THE LADBROKES ORMONDE STAKES-G3, £150,000, 4yo/up, 13f 84yT Field: Sons And Lovers (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Beylerbeyi (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Mount Atlas (GB) (Masar {Ire}), Rahiebb (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Real Dream (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Jan Brueghel returns from a lengthy lay-off after failing to shine on fast ground in the King George, but has what looks an ideal trip and a kind surface to relaunch...

Wednesday, Chester, post time: 15:05, THE BOODLES CHESTER VASE-G3, £145,000, 3yo, c/g, 12f 63yT Field: Benvenuto Cellini (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Del Maro (Ger) (Camelot {GB}), Mr Colonel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Mr Vettori (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Proposition (Ire) (Frankel {GB}. TDN Analysis: Current Derby favourite, Benvenuto Cellini returns under a penalty for his success in the G2 Champions Juvenile at Leopardstown in September, a performance that marked him apart. Easily forgiven his defeat in testing ground in the Futurity Trophy, he is up to a trip that will suit perfectly...

Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) is set to follow the same path to Epsom as last year's Classic hero, Lambourn (Australia), by contesting next month's G3 Chester Vase on the Roodee. Aidan O'Brien had been eyeing the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom as a stepping stone to the Derby for Benvenuto Cellini, who is a general 6/1 shot for the premier Classic after winning two of his four starts as a two-year-old, notably landing the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown, before finishing third in the G1 Futurity Trophy at...

A new partnership has been announced between Chester Racecourse and The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), creating an international pathway from the Boodles May Festival to some of the most prestigious Graded races in America. Under the initiative, the winner of the G3 Ladbrokes Ormonde Stakes (Thursday, May 7) at Chester's May Festival will receive automatic entry and travel incentives to compete in the GII Belmont Gold Cup (Thursday, June 4), worth $250,000. The Belmont Gold Cup has been hosted at Saratoga Race Course since 2024 while the new...

There wasn't a great deal left for Aidan O'Brien to achieve at Chester's marquee May Festival, but Thursday saw him register another historic feat as he completed an unprecedented clean sweep of the opening two day's black-type events. Already responsible for the winners of the G3 Chester Vase, Listed Cheshire Oaks and Listed Dee Stakes, all ridden by Ryan Moore, he was able to fulfil the quota with Illinois in the G3 Ormonde Stakes. Sent off the 6-5 favourite having his first start of the season under a five-pound penalty,...