Wednesday 6th May 2026
Following a profitable few days at Newmarket at the Guineas Festival, we head to Chester for this year’s May Festival. Kicking things off with the 1.30, which is the Class 2 Lily Agnes Stakes, a conditions event over five furlongs. I like the chances of WAIT GEORDIE here for Hugo Palmer and Oisin Murphy. He made a winning start on his racecourse debut at Bath last month, getting the better of Dowman by a length and a half, with the form of that race working out well with horses in behind coming out and winning since. This yard often targets this particular meeting, and Palmer & Murphy have plenty of success when teaming up. This two-year-old also has a handy draw in stall 3, and a big effort is likely. He also gets five pounds off his main market rival, Adonius.
My second selection of the day at Chester comes within the 2.05, and this is a Class 2 handicap which is contested over seven and a half furlongs. I’ve come down on PERCY’S LAD here for the team of Daniel & Claire Kubler, who’s the mount of Tom Marquand. He won this race back in 2024 off a five-pound higher mark and made his return to the track after a long layoff at Newmarket last month. He travelled encouragingly in that race before getting tired, which was to be expected given his time off the track. He should prove a lot sharper for that outing, and he has a good record at this track, which counts for a lot. I’d expect him to see him much closer at the business end of things.
The first big race of the meeting comes up at 2.35, and this is the Listed Cheshire Oaks, ridden over a mile and three and a half furlongs. It’s hard to see past the exciting I’M THE ONE here who heads the betting for John & Thady Gosden, and is the current mount of William Buick. She’s short in the betting here; however, she could arguably be shorter given that there isn’t much depth to the contest aside from her. She was a six-length winner of a fourteen-runner affair on her racecourse debut at Newbury last month, and subsequently shot to the top of the betting for the Epsom Oaks. She should solidify that position further here with another commanding display, and she could well be another top filly for an outfit that excels with these types.
Next up, it’s 3.05, and the feature contest of the opening day on Wednesday, the Group 3 Chester Vase Stakes over a mile and four and a half furlongs. Aidan O’Brien has a very solid record in this contest, and he should go close to adding another to his tally this time around with BENVENUTO CELLINI, who’s the mount of Ryan Moore. He created a big impression when winning the Group 2 Champion Juvenile Stakes by five lengths at Leopardstown last September, and whilst he didn’t follow up at Doncaster next time out in the Futurity Trophy, he wasn’t totally disgraced when finishing third in what was bottomless ground. He’ll encounter a much sounder surface here, and he has every chance of resuming his progress and developing into a serious player throughout the campaign. He should go very close here.
Wednesday Selections
Chester May Festival (Day 1)
1.30 Chester
WAIT GEORDIE – (9/4) (Win)
2.05 Chester
PERCY’S LAD – (9/2) (Each-Way) (4 places)
2.35 Chester
I’M THE ONE – (8/13) (Win) (NAP)
3.05 Chester
BENVENUTO CELLINI – (6/5) (Win) (NB)
