Andrew McLaren steps in for Matt Brocklebank as Chester's May Festival gets under way on Wednesday.
Value Bet: Wednesday May 7
0.5pts e.w Caspi Star in 2.35 Chester at 25/1 (William Hill 1/5 1,2,3)
Chester’s May Festival kicks off on Wednesday with Classic contenders on show in the Cheshire Oaks and Chester Vase, bookended by a couple of tricky sprint handicaps also shown on ITV4, and betting opportunities look a bit thin on the ground in truth.
Redorange finds himself at the head of the market in the Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap at 14:05 and it’s easy to see why.
He was steadily progressive as a two-year-old, ending his juvenile campaign with an impressive nursery win at Yarmouth, and he returned after a gelding operation with a highly promising effort at Sandown where he showed plenty of dash before fading into third. He’s likely to come on for that run and will take a bit of beating from stall two.
It's a similar story in the Love Federal Capital Handicap at 15:40, as well. Bob Mali was three from four for Ollie Sangster last season and improved again making his debut for Charlie Hills last month, finishing second in a hot race at Newmarket where the front three pulled well clear and the third, Invictus Gold, has won since.
He looks to have plenty going for him from stall two and looks a worthy favourite.
I do think one is being underestimated in the Cheshire Oaks though, and that’s CASPI STAR for Charlie Johnston at 25/1.
She’s been a bit of a slow burner, only beating one horse home in two runs as a two-year-old, but she is bred to be useful and is really starting to blossom now for owner Nurlan Bizakov, who won this race in 2014 with Anipa at 16/1.
A daughter of Camelot, she improved as expected for the step up in trip when almost beating Ralph Beckett’s Lady Vivian (who holds an Irish Oaks entry) over 12 furlongs at Southwell, and I loved the way she went about her business when winning a valuable maiden at Musselburgh last month.
They didn’t go overly quick that day, but it was taking how she quickened once the gap appeared to bag the far rail, and she really powered away inside the final furlong to run out a ready winner.
Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden have a bit of a stranglehold on this race, winning it seven times between them in the last 10 years, and their representatives will understandably be popular again, but Caspi Star is a scopey filly with a good action who is still improving and with a few firms paying three places here, she’s a bet for me at 25/1.
Preview posted at 1610 BST on 06/05/25
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