All eyes will be on The Roodee on Friday for the third and final day of the 2025 Chester May Festival and our horse racing writer has worked his way through the card on Day 3.
Check out the latest horse racing betting odds for Chester with William Hill ahead of what should be an exhilarating day of flat action, with the Chester Cup the feature race of the day.
If you’re reading this before racing commences on Thursday, check out our Chester Day 2 tips here.
1.30pm – 7f GROSVENOR HANDICAP STAKES
GORAK continues to be a fun horse for his owners and he looks sure to go well again at a track that really suits his running style.
Narrowly beaten at Haydock a fortnight ago, the six-year-old can make hay from a middle draw.
Dangers: Transcending Glory and Persuasion.
2.05pm – 1m4f EBF MAIDEN STAKES
The grey colt AL WASL STORM can give trainer Owen Burrows a welcome winner on the Roodee for his Green Team owners.
The three-year-old showed up well over 1m4f on the all-weather 16 days ago, and can make his mark on the turf under jockey David Probert.
2.35pm – HUXLEY STAKES (Group 2)
Wathnan Racing is becoming a bigger and bigger owning juggernaut season upon season, and their runner SPACE LEGEND can earn them some more black type on Friday afternoon.
A son of Sea The Stars, the William Haggas-trained Space Legend was purchased by Wathnan just before Royal Ascot last year, where he finished a respectable second to Calandagan in the King Edward VII Stakes.
He subsequently then finished fourth behind Ancient Wisdom in the Bahrain Trophy, and fourth again behind Los Angeles, Illinois and King’s Gambit in the Great Voltigeur at York.
A repeat of that run would see him demolish this field you would think, and he should prove a popular pick in the betting.
3.05pm – CHESTER CUP (Heritage Handicap)
National Hunt trainers have had a decent record down the years in the Chester Cup, and the Venetia Williams-trained MORNING AIR can outrun his current odds.
Having previously won the Chester Plate with Green Book and Bellatrixsa, Williams certainly knows what type of horse takes to negotiate the tight turns on the Roodee. She won’t be sending Morning Air here just for a day out.
Of the others, Jessica Harrington fields two in the shape of Taipan and Riviera Queen and the pair need to be watched, while Leinster looks like he’s been laid out for a crack at this feature staying handicap.
3.40pm – 1m4f HANDICAP STAKES
The ground versatile nine-year-old ANDALEEP can clock up his 13th career victory for his husband and wife training team, who traditionally do well at Chester.
Richard Kingscote rides the track well and the oldest horse in the field should make the frame at the very least.
4.10pm – 1m4f APPRENTICE HANDICAP STAKES
Liz Gale steered a 66/1 winner home over the sticks at Ffos Las on Tuesday, and is riding in very confident fashion at the moment. That positive energy will hopefully resonate through the reins aboard LUSAKA here.
The seven-year-old has won over this distance in a higher class before now, and may well get overlooked in the betting. He’s certainly worth some each-way interest in a race full of amateur riders trying to showcase their talents.
4.45pm – CHESTER PLATE HANDICAP STAKES
The Tim Easterby-trained GIBSIDE hasn’t particularly enjoyed his all-weather adventures in recent weeks, but will relish the return to turf and this trip today.
The six-year-old shaped like he could go much further than the 2m½f trip he bossed at York last October, and he can give his supporters a good run for their money today.
