The final day of Chester’s May festival takes place on Friday. Along with one form Ascot, the ITV cameras focus on five races across the Cheshire venue, as Joe Napier gives you four best bets across the action.
1.50 Ascot – Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap
Power Fizz is officially 4lb well-in after his second six days ago at Goodwood, but this is a step up in class against a bigger field. There is also a distinct possibility that BRAVE MISSION will develop significantly beyond his juvenile form for Ralph Beckett and Juddmonte.
The son of Frankel went off at short prices for all three of his two-year-old races, winning the third of those at Kempton having bumped into a couple of useful winners on his first two efforts. Without being sensational form, that Kempton victory still highlighted what he could be capable of as he demonstrated a swift turn of foot to win comfortably.
Being by Frankel out of a half-sister to two Group race winners, one of them an American Grade 1 scorer, he would be expected to be Group race quality, so a mark of 91 ought to be one he can win off. With two horses running off 103 here, Rossa Ryan gets to carry a good racing weight as well.
2.05 Chester – Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes
It is a surprise to see that of those who have raced, WISE COUNSELLOR is the outsider, as while his form is unspectacular, it is solid enough. His experience is just one of a few factors which could stand him in good stead.
A son of Nathaniel, he has stamina in abundance in his pedigree, as well as having proven it on the racecourse so far. That is not the case with even some of the other seemingly stoutly-bred rivals, so Oisin Murphy may want to turn this into as much of a test as he can.
He made the running on his last start at Musselburgh, so expect Murphy to bounce him out from the front again. Only a useful rival, who was third in the Cheshire Oaks on Wednesday, got past him that day and he is a yardstick by which to measure the others.
2.35 Chester – Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes (Group 2)
Ryan Moore being aboard could prove a huge boon for the chances of LIBERTY LANE, and he can be backed at a useful price. The 2024 Cambridgeshire winner could easily step up to become a Group race winner here.
He followed up that big handicap victory off top-weight by finishing a close second in the Group 3 Darley Stakes at Newmarket. His reappearance at Doncaster was below that level, but he bumped into the rapidly improving Dancing Gemini that day and should strip fitter here.
This step back up to 1m2½f should not inconvenience him at Chester, and should suit better than the 1m trip he faced on his return. With Moore enjoying such a good week and trainer Karl Burke also among the winners, he could deliver a minor upset, as he won second time up in 2024.
3.40 Chester – Precision Facades Handicap
An open handicap to conclude the ITV action and although not obviously well-treated, QITAAL makes most appeal in the current market.
Two runs at Chester have produced a close third to multiple course winner Grey Cuban, who runs here as well, but is 7lb better off with that rival in the handicap for that meeting, and even better when factoring in age allowances at the time. Since then, Qitaal proved that first course run no fluke by bolting in by eight lengths here in September.
That was off a declining mark, but was so impressive in the distance he put between himself and his rivals. An 8lb higher rating might be tough based on his seventh at Goodwood last weekend, but he is 2lb higher than when third of 16 at Doncaster to begin this campaign, so could go well.
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