Kevin Blake's Boodles May Festival tips

Published 08.00 - 08/05

Day three of the Chester’s Boodles May Festival is here. This is arguably the strongest day of the meeting and there are a few very interesting races that I’m keen to get involved in.

The first of interest is the Deepbridge Huxley Stakes (2:35). This is a strong Group 2 contest with some very big names taking their chance including last year’s Derby winner Lambourn. However, many of the biggest guns are likely to have even bigger targets on their agenda and may not be cherry ripe for this. One that has race fitness on his side and could well outrun his big odds is the Karl Burke-trained ICE MAX.

The five-year-old is a talented performer that most notably won the Celebration Mile at Goodwood in 2024. While he can be quite a free goer over a mile, I think it is an interesting move to try him over this longer trip now. A key element of his chance here is that he is drawn low which should allow him to secure cover behind the leaders off what could well be a solid pace.

While he isn’t certain to get this trip, the likely setup of the race and the tight nature of this track will give him every chance to do so. He is trading at a big price for one of his ability and it wouldn’t surprise to see him outrun those odds.

The main event of the entire meeting is the Ladbrokes Chester Cup (3:05) and as always it is a fiercely competitive race. The draw is key for this contest and it couldn’t have been any kinder to the Joseph O’Brien-trained A PIECE OF HEAVEN who has drawn stall one and he is my selection.

The eight-year-old has a quirky profile having started his career in bumpers, but he quickly made up into a useful performer on the Flat before changing hands and joining O’Brien in 2024. The highlight of his first campaign with O’Brien was unquestionably his excellent second in the highly-competitive Irish Cesarewitch in September 2024 off a mark of 100. He was raised 6lb for that run, but has had a couple of injury setbacks since then that have limited his visits to the track.

He has been brought along steadily since returning to action earlier this year and there was an awful lot to like about his latest run at the Curragh. Racing on ground that was much softer than ideal, he made the smart Layfayette pull out all the stops to get the better of him. That form has been working out quite well in stakes company since then and A Piece Of Heaven was actually dropped a pound for the run which was very fair.

This course and distance, the firmer ground and his excellent draw will all help his cause. He is a straightforward positive ride and is likely to go forward to make use of that draw. He is now just 1lb higher than when going close in the Irish Cesarewitch and he looks primed to return to that sort of form here.

The final race of the meeting is the Chester Roman Day On 30th May Apprentice Handicap (5:20) and the one I like is the Charlie Johnston-trained L’EAGLE AID. The five-year-old was steadily progressive last year and proved his effectiveness at this track by overcoming a poor start to win a handicap over this course and distance in July, dead heating but being awarded the race outright in a stewards’ inquiry.

His two runs this season have just been ok, but it seems a fair possibility that his connections have been working him towards this meeting and he is now just 1lb higher than when winning that aforementioned race over this course and distance. The draw has been kind to him and a big run looks likely to be forthcoming.