The Boodles May Festival is a three-day celebration that began on May 7th. Two standout contests remain, offering punters plenty of value and intrigue. Thursday’s Dee Stakes feature is a key derby trial and always draws top three-year-olds from elite yards. Aidan O’Brien has farmed this race in recent years and sends a strong hand to maintain dominance. With classy pedigrees, unexposed runners, and form lines pointing in different directions, it promises to be a fascinating renewal.
On Friday, the historic Chester Cup takes centre stage. This year’s handicap is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. It will have proven stayers, flat returners from the jumps scene, and a host of lightly raced four-year-olds all in the mix. We’ve got Boodles Festival predictions and betting tips for both of these marquee races.
Chester Dee Stakes Preview 2:35 pm
The Dee Stakes is the headliner of day two at the Chester Boodles Festival. This listed Race starts at 2:35 pm on May 8th, and is open to three-year-old colts and geldings and is run over 1m2½f. The Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes is a noted trial for the Derby, with most winners heading to the classic in Epsom. Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien have dominated in recent years, winning the last three renewals.
Mount Kilimanjaro heads the betting for the dynamic duo this year. He made his seasonal debut in a third-place finish at Dundalk in March, but we expect he will be far more at it here. He was impressive in a second-place finish behind Twain last season and should go one better this week. Moore and O’Brien know what it takes to win this race, and he is a worthy favourite.
High Stock made his debut in a Maiden Stakes at Newmarket last month and looked full of class. He beat some excellently bred and expensive runners. That was a very promising run, and he goes straight to second favourite in the horse racing odds as the most unexposed runner in the renewal.
Calla Lagoon will make his seasonal debut here after a good maiden season last year. He showed progressive form and had the race if he wasn’t so far back at Pontefract in October. He made a late charge for second from 1f out. The extra 2f in this race could make all the difference, and he is a danger here.
Isambard Brunel is very well bred. The second-string Ballydoyle runner is the son of Justify and a relative of former Arc winner Found. He looks impressive on pedigree alone and began to show his promise when smashing Red King in a Maiden at Navan in October. He has the makings of someone who could upset the applecart.
Hott Shott has two runs this season and could be the sharpest in this race. He was second in a Class 2 event at Kempton after opening at 33/1 in February. However, a recent start at Chelmsford wasn’t as impressive, and he looks like more of a sprinter.
Mirabeau and Great David round out the field. The former was held up in the rear on his seasonal debut at Epsom last month but found more to finish third in his final strides at 28/1. Great David looked impressive in a win on this trip after making his seasonal debut in Nottingham last month. He is an interesting prospect who had a strong novice season.
Dee Stakes Predictions and Betting Tips
Predicted Winner: Isambard Brundel
We think Aidan O’Brien will make it four from four at the Dee Stakes, but with Isambard Brunel over the more favoured Mount Kilimanjaro. His pedigree is the best in this race, and his season-closing win at Navan last year was incredible. The booking of William Buick has us thinking he is overpriced at 8/1 in the horse racing markets, and we are backing him to pull off a shock.
Calla Lagoon is our second choice here. He was very progressive last year, and that run in Pontefract showed that an extra couple of furlongs would suit him. The faster conditions are an unknown, but he looks like another good bet at 5/1
Chester Cup Preview 3:05 pm
The Chester Cup is the premier race on day three of the Boodles Festival. It starts at 3:05 pm on May 9th and is run over 2m 2f. This handicap is open to horses aged four and above and includes a prize worth £170.000. This has historically been a very exciting race with no dominant trainers or jockeys in recent years. A bigger prize purse this year means we may see a maximum field of 17.
East India Dock leads the betting in his first reappearance on the flat since his run at Doncaster in September. He had a very successful switch to hurdles under new trainer James Owen, winning two Grade 2s and placing in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. An attractive handicap as one of the lighter runners and a successful reappearance could be on the cards.
Who’s Glen is one of five in handicaps, but this trip should suit him better. He ran over 2m last time out and looked strong. He’s lacked some pace and looked like more of a stayer over further, so things could finally come together for him here. Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy linked up to win this race in 2017 and go for a second.
Joseph Patrick O’Brien trained Leinster, who made his seasonal return in March with a winning effort at the Curragh. He will run off a career high rating and has seen his odds slashed after being handed a favourable draw in stall five. Ryan Moore won this race riding Aidan O’Brien’s Cleveland in 2022 and is now named on his son’s leading charge.
Caballo De Mar had an excellent season, winning all three starts. He is aiming for a six-timer here after finishing with back-to-back victories last season. George Scott’s four-year-old finished with plenty left over 2m½f at Southwell last month. He is down 3lbs from that run, and the extra 2f will suit on this career-high mark.
Hot Fuss settled into a strong season over hurdles, finishing second behind East India Dock in a juvenile before winning one at Sandown in December. He’s made strong reappearances in handicaps since, winning at Southwell in February, followed by a place in the Fred Winters (Class 1) a month later. A career low handicap makes Tom Dascombe’s four-year-old one to watch in the Chester Cup.
Divine Comedy has had two quiet reappearances in small fields in April after a relatively low-key campaign last year. He is up 6lbs from his last run, and this race has typically favoured horses 9-2 and lower.
Duke Of Oxford had a great finish to his season last year with a back-to-back at Kempton after finishing 11th in this race. He has fared well on his two starts this season, most recently placing at Southwell behind Caballo De Mar. However, he is nearly completely untested away from all-weather tracks, with his only run on turf being his poor finish here last year.
Hugo Palmer is looking to make Zoffee the first back-to-back winner of this race in 20 years. However, his season has been underwhelming, with a litany of top jockeys unable to get a good race out of him. He is running off a higher handicap this time, and Harry Davies takes East India Dock over the nine-year-old.
The most interesting outsiders are the James Owen-trained Liam Swagger and Charging Thunder. The former finished third in a maiden at this fixture last year. Charging Thunder is 4-1-1 from his previous six, dating back to last season.
Chester Cup Predictions and Betting Tips
Predicted Winner: Who’s Glen
One of our best horse racing predictions is for Who’s Glen to secure a second Chester Cup triumph for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy. He is worth 5/1 and everything tells us he is better suited to this further trip and looks a much stronger stayer over 2 miles.
This race has not typically favoured colts, but there is a host of strong four-year-olds in this renewal. They dominate more than half of the field. East India Dock is just a bit too exposed for us here, and we prefer the gamble on Glen Who. Balding and Murphy won this race in 2017, and we are backing them to repeat this year.
WHO'S GLEN & @_JasonWatson win at Chester for trainer @AndrewBalding2 and owner George Strawbridge. Check out all the official photographs at https://t.co/U2g6c7BSIs @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/xW0eGtnian
— OfficialPhotographers (@offphoto) September 14, 2024
Caballo De Mar is our second choice. He had an excellent end last term, has begun brilliantly this year. He proved he has it in him on his most recent start. Caballo De Mar had plenty left after finishing 4½L ahead of Duke Of Oxford over 2m½f at Southwell. Granted, his best form has been on all-weather, but he won on his last turf appearance.
Hot Fuss and Liam Swagger take the eye for profitable options when betting each way. The former’s place in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle last time out was an eye-catcher. He is a bit exposed, taking on a hurdles campaign beside East India Dock, but has been excellent in his reappearances. Tom Dascombe’s colt placed in Class 1 company and has a great draw in stall three.
Liam Swagger finished half a length in front of him in that race. His runs since have been disappointing, but those were on shorter trips. This one suits him a lot better, and he is good for a place bet, worth 33/1 with our online sportsbook.
