Following the Guineas Festival at Newmarket, horse racing keeps the good times rolling with another three-day feast to set our punting pulses racing. The action switches from Cambridgeshire to Cheshire as Chester stages the Boodles May Festival - kicking off on Wednesday, 7th of May.
Chester may not quite boast the Group 1 overload as the Newmarkets and Ascots of the world, but, in some ways, the track known as the Roodee is the most distinctive in the land. First of all, Chester is the oldest racecourse still in operation - not only in Britain, but in the world. Secondly, the picturesque venue is comfortably the roundest flat course found anywhere on the British Isles. In the realm of British racing, there are sharp tracks, very sharp tracks, and then there is Chester.
Given the near constant left-handed turns, Chester favours nippy, well-balanced sorts over long striding gallopers, but what else does it take to prevail? Here, we look back at the past ten editions of the Boodles May Festival, highlight the trainers, jockeys, and sires who have fared best on the Roodee, and pick out our best betting options for the 2025 edition.
The Draw
When racing around a circular track, it makes sense that starting towards the inside would be an advantage. That theory is supported by results at Chester. Considering the average field size in Britain is around 8-9 runners, we would always expect a drop-off when reaching the double-figure draws. However, even if focusing on draws 1-9, a clear bias towards the low-drawn runners emerges; 78 winners emerged from stalls 1-3, 65 from 4-6, and 24 from 7-9.
Top Trainers
The Guineas Festival may not have gone to plan for Aidan O’Brien, but recent evidence suggests there is a fair chance he will bounce back at the 2025 Boodles May Festival. With 27 winners over the past ten editions, the Ballydoyle maestro has almost twice as many victories as nearest pursuer Andrew Balding on 14. Balding, in turn, is the only other trainer to reach double figures over this period.
All 27 of O’Brien’s wins were over 1m2½f+, 24 were in contests rated at Listed level or above, and 20 were in three-year-old events.
12 of Balding’s 14 wins came in handicaps, 11 were in events for horses aged four and older, and nine were over 1m2½f+.
Six of Tom Dascombe’s nine wins came in Handicaps, and six were over 5f-7½f.
Seven of Richard Fahey’s nine wins came in handicaps, six were in races for horses aged four and older, and six were at 5f-7½f.
Mark Johnston’s nine wins were evenly split between the 2yo, 3yo, and 4yo+ divisions, and five came in handicaps.
2025 Entries
Aidan O’Brien:
Minnie Hauk (Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks)
Lambourn (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
Thrice (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
First Approach (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Genealogy (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Mount Kilamanjaro (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Isambard Brunel (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Thrice (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Acapulco Bay (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Continuous (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Illinois (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Jan Brueghel (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Andrew Balding:
Secret Of Love (Weatherbys ePassport Chesire Oaks)
Furthur (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
Marchogion (Love Federal Capital Handicap)
Mister Winston (Heineken Maiden Stakes)
Enchanting (CAA Stellar Handicap)
High Stock (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Mount Atlas (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Spell Master (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Humam (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Brighton Boy (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Warda Jamila (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Way Of Stars (Oxford Natural Handicap)
Never So Brave (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
Maraaheb (Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes)
Wise Counsellor (Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes)
The Foxes (IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes)
Contacto (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Spirit Mixer (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Who’s Glen (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Good Show (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Warda Jamila (Precision Facades Handicap)
Legacy Power (Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap)
Contacto (Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Chester Plate Handicap)
Tom Dascombe:
Italica (Caa Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes)
Seraphim Angel (Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap)
Aphrodites Rock (Heineken Maiden Stakes)
Senorita Vega (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Bring It On (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
High On Hope (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Hot Fuss (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Auld Toon Loon (Precision Facades Handicap)
Richard Fahey:
No Entries
Mark Johnston:
Retired
Top Jockeys
Where Aidan O’Brien goes, Ryan Moore will follow. The best in the business duly tops our table with an impressive 35 wins.
25 of Moore’s winners were provided by O’Brien. The rider also struck for Sir Michael Stoute, Adam West, Daniel & Clare Kubler, Ed Dunlop, Martyn Meade, Marco Botti, and Richard Hannon. 25 of his wins came at Listed level or above, 23 were in 3yo events, and 23 were at 1m2½f+.
William Buick rode winners for six different trainers, and seven wins came in handicaps.
Six of Richard Kingscote’s nine wins came in handicaps, and six were in 4yo+ events.
Six of Franny Norton’s eight wins came in handicaps, and six were over 1m2½f+.
Silvestre De Sousa rode winners for seven different trainers, with five wins coming in handicaps.
Five of Paul Hanagan’s seven wins came in handicaps.2025 Booked Rides
Ryan Moore:
Minnie Hauk (Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks)
Lambourn (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
First Approach (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Star Anthem (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Divine Libra (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
Qirat (CAA Stellar Early Grosvenor Hanidap)
The Pouncing Lion (Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes)
Liberty Lane (IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes)
Leinster (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
William Buick:
Thrice (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
Bob Mali (Love Federal Capital Handicap)
Criminal (Heineken Maiden Stakes)
Hott Shott (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Absurde (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Hott Shott (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Richard Kingscote:
Italica (CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes)
Seraphim Angel (Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap)
The Flying Seagull (Love Federal Capital Handicap)
Little Saver (Heineken Maiden Stakes)
Grandlad (CAA Stellar Handicap)
Senorita Vega (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Wadacre Gomez (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Qitaal (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Spirit Of Jura (Oxford Natural Handicap)
Andaleep (Precision Facades Handicap)
Franny Norton:
Retired.
Silvestre De Sousa:
Kinetic Force (Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap)
Caspi Star (Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks)
Paul Hanagan:
Retired
Sires To Note
2025 Entries
O’Brien, Moore, and Galileo have regularly created an irresistible trio. The greatest sire of them all is duly way out in front at the head of the sire’s table at this event.
All 19 of Galileo’s wins came at 1m2½f+, 16 were at Listed level or above, and 12 were in 3yo events.
All five of Frankel’s wins were at 1m2½f+, and four were in 3yo events.
Four of Dubawi’s five wins were at 1m2½f.
All five of Dark Angel’s wins were at 1m2½f or shorter, with four coming in handicaps.
All four of Sea The Stars’ wins were at 1m2½f, with three coming in 3yo events.
All four of Mastercraftsman’s wins came in 4yo+ handicap events over 1m2½f+.
Three of Makfi’s four wins came in 4yo+ handicap events.
Three of Dandy Man’s four wins came over 5f or 6f.
Three of Australia’s four wins came at 1m4½f+.
Galileo:
Illinois (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Jan Brueghel (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
Vaguely Royal (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Dawn Rising (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Marhaba Million (Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap)
Frankel:
Minnie Hauk (Weatherbys ePassort Cheshire Oaks)
Queen Of Thieves (Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks)
Pinhole (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
Monsieur Fudge (Horseradish Catering & Events Handicap)
Brave Mission (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Cape Breton (Oxford Natural Handicap)
Spirit Mixer (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Taipan (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Flight Leader (Precision Facades Handicap)
Dubawi:
High Stock (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Acapulco Bay (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Dark Angel:
Nazron (CAA Stellar Handicap)
Luminare (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Sex On Fire (Louise Keegan Handicap)
Patrol (Oxford Natural Handicap)
Divine Libra (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
Take Heart (Precision Facades Handicap)
Sea The Stars:
Sea Suite (Heineken Maiden Stakes)
Sea Suite (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
Miss Alpilles (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Beringer (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Orionis (Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes)
Space Legend (IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes)
Caviar Heights (IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes)
Wonder Legend (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
At Vimeiro (Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap)
Mastercraftsman:
Baryshnikov (Halliwell Jones Handicap)
Artisan Dancer (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Fleurman (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Treasure (Precision Facades Handicap)
Artisan Dancer (Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Chester Plate Handicap)
Fleurman (Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Chester Plate Handicap)
Makfi:
No Entries
Dandy Man:
Bring It On (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
Yanifer (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
Australia:
Lambourn (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
Patagonia Girl (Oxford Natural Handicap)
Benacre (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
Simiyann (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
Oman (Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap)
Simiyann (Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Chester Plate)
Four to Back for Trends Fans
When looking through the entries for the 2025 edition of the meeting, only two runners tick the trainer, jockey, and sire boxes.
- Lambourn (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
- Minnie Hauk (Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks)
The following earn a tick in the trainer and jockey column.
- First Approach (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
- Italica (CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes)
- Senorita Vega (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
- Seraphim Angel (Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap)
- Thrice (Boodles Chester Vase Stakes)
The following are shortlisted due to their trainer and sire:
- Acapulco Bay (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
- Bring It On (British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes)
- High Stock (Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes)
- Illinois (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
- Jan Brueghel (Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes)
- Spirit Mixer (Ladbrokes Chester Cup)
And the following earn a tick in the jockey and sire box.
- Divine Libra (CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap)
No shortage of intriguing runners over the three days. Of those who tick more than one trend box, the following quartet strike us as being likely to go well under the conditions of the races in which they are entered.
Recommended Bet: Minnie Hauk to win @ 7/4 with Betfred (Wednesday 2:35)
Recommended Bet: Lambourn to win @ 15/8 with Boylesports (Wednesday 3:05)
Recommended Bet: Illinois to win @ 11/10 with Boylesports (Thursday 3:05)
Recommended Bet: Spirit Mixer each way @ 20/1 with Boylesports (Friday 3:05)
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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