All eyes will be on The Roodee on Wednesday for the opening day of the 2025 Chester May Festival and our horse racing writer has worked his way through the card on Day 1.
Check out the latest horse racing betting odds for Chester with William Hill ahead of what should be an informative few days…
Our tipster is here for all three days and you can read his thoughts and Chester Day 2 tips via the attached link.
1.30pm – LILY AGNES EBF CONDITIONS STAKES
VIAMARIE hasn’t publicly been seen on the turf as yet, but if her AW debut at Kempton is anything to go by, she looks the type who will quicken away nicely once she spins around the final bend of this five furlong sprint trip.
2.05pm – 5f HANDICAP STAKES
Having watched the exploits thus far of the Amy Murphy/husband-trained CONVO, there is no way the filly should be priced anywhere over odds of 20/1.
Owned by some friends of mine, Convo was a maiden winner at Saint-Cloud last March, then returned to Paris in the June to finish a really good second to Francisco’s Piece in the Listed Prix la Fleche at Chantilly.
She’s certainly fast, holds a nice draw, and is blinkered for the first time. This all leads me to advise a little bit of each-way action on her for sports betting fans.
2.35pm – CHESHIRE OAKS (Listed Race)
When a horse catches your eye like a big pizza pie, THAT’S AMORE.
Yes, Ralph Beckett’s New Bay-filly will be music to the ears of punters should she land the valuable Listed Cheshire Oaks on the Roodee.
Her stamina kicked in last October when she was victorious in a one mile EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes run on heavy ground, giving the impression that a step up in distance would be her natural progression.
Dangers include Secret Of Love and Giselle.
3.05pm – CHESTER VASE STAKES (Group 3)
Wootton Bassett-colt THRICE comes into Wednesday’s Chester Vase with an outstanding chance of taking home the silverware.
After a pleasing debut performance at the Curragh, Thrice then romped home in a Listowel Maiden when sent off a short-priced favourite. His final run of last season saw him make fourth place in a Group 3, run in soft conditions.
He looks sure to have developed physically over the winter and will have his ground at Chester.
3.40pm – 6f HANDICAP STAKES
The Clive Cox-trained DILIGENTLY topped off last season with an excellent victory in York’s Premier Yearling Stakes.
The three-year-old colt looks primed to make a splash in handicaps and can figure prominently from his stall one draw.
4.10pm – 1m2f MAIDEN STAKES
DAIQUIRI BAY showed some promise in his end of season debut at Newbury last October and looks interesting on better ground, and racing over a slightly longer trip.
Alan King is a very astute race planner and the omens are good with Tom Marquand on board, especially given Tom’s current strike rate.
4.45pm – 7f HANDICAP STAKES
Course regular BOARDMAN can put up a bold show for the in-form Tim Easterby stable in the Wednesday finale.
Originally trained in France by the recently retired Pascal Bay, the nine-year-old has now clocked up an impressive 8 career wins from his 53 starts, and shows no signs of his form deteriorating. He’s a confident each-way pick today.
Of the others, nods are given to the previous course and distance scorer Paws For Thought, plus Thunder Blue for the Osborne yard.
