The Trackside Live team were at Chester to shed light from the pre-parade and parade rings on the Boodles May Festival. Recap their views here.
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Full result
1. EXCLAMATION 33/1
2. Schrodinger's Cat 3/1 favourite
3. One And Gone 12/1
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Verdict
Lot of these quite keen and not many make appeal.
Watcha Snoop gets the vote, seems to have come on a lot since Wednesday. Arlo's Girl also makes appeal.
Parade ring updates
10 Arlo's Girl - better than most, fit and well.
3 Kolkata Knight - getting very warm.
9 Schrodinger's Cat - a little keen but that's fit and makes appeal.
4 Alvin - another too keen at present.
8 Watcha Snoop - looks a lot better than he did on Wednesday.
1 Exclamation - another keen, red hood on, not working yet.
13 Henrythenate - keen early, needs to settle.
Full result
1. SHRIMP SHADY 13/2
2. Kingstonian 6/4 favourite
3. Tribal Star 14/1
4. Carlton 25/1
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Rob Hornby: "Really good, I just had to make sure I got him out the gates; he wasn't in overly long but he wasn't out as sharply as I'd have liked so I had to kick him forwards and I felt with Joseph's horse on my inside, I thought the pace was level enough for what we were dealing with.
"He travelled really nicely and I think he's enjoyed coming here, a slight step up again in trip but he ran a really nice race at Lingfield and he's been progressing all the way through the ranks. Fair play to Andrew, he was always confident that he would stay further and he's shown that today.
"Andrew's had a great week. His horses thrive here, they jump and travel; it makes a jockey's life easier and it's great to ride him a winner."
Verdict
Kingstonian and Sax Appeal best pair here.
Parade ring updates
Some of the old boys - 8 (Call My Bluff) and 12 (Gibside) - carrying a touch of condition but it's hardly a negative.
All behaving well bar the 17 (Boxing Great), bit keen and warm.
5 Kate O'Riley - positive, lean.
10 Shrimp Shady - another big positive.
2 Sax Appeal - very fit, positive.
7 Mr Escobar - surely needs the run.
6 Kingstonian - a major eyecatcher - all muscle, looks superb.
Full result
1. ROSENPUR 11/2
2. The Good Biscuit 11/2
3. Jonny Concrete 5/2 favourite
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Darragh Keenan: "It was very straightforward. Jennie and Alan were very confident coming into today and they were spot on. It's my first time riding the horse and they made it very easy for me too.
"Keep things going and hopefully I can keep getting nice winners like this. Thanks to Jennie and Alan, they've been very good supporters of mine."
Verdict
The Jonny Concrete is tuned up to the minute; has to be the pick. Rosenpur of interest and is next best.
Parade ring updates
4 Clonmacash - a positive, very fit.
Not overly keen on 7 (Secret Guest), others look better.
2 Rosenpur - makes appeal, looks well, not that many from the yard did this week, so that's a positive.
8 Jonny Concrete - superb, highly defined.
5 Kiniro - needs the run.
6 Miraculous - fit, that looks well.
15 Paws For Thought - needs run.
Again, will do my best but this (WiFi and signal) is awful now.
Full result and report
1. A PIECE OF HEAVEN 7/1
2. Maxi King 25/1
3. Duraji 50/1
4. Galileo Dame 6/1
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Dylan Browne McMonagle: "He was very good on the day. I had the plum draw which was a big help and I got into the perfect position. I didn't think they were going to go as quick as they did but I was happy to follow along, get him comfortable and I was the winner from a long way out; it was just a matter of picking him up and getting him going to the line.
"I felt like this lad would stay well. When he [Duraji] kicked I knew he wasn't going to get any further forward and I still had a little bit of horse left so I was confident I'd pick him up.
"A good training performance by Joseph, he was spot on on the day as usual, and I'm very lucky to be getting my leg across him. A big well done to all the team and everyone who has looked after him."
Verdict
Team Player - Galileo Dame - Berkshire Sundance best three here.
Parade ring updates
With WiFi and signal now so poor I'll just give positives and negatives for the Chester Cup.
2 A Piece Of Heaven (below also) - still very keen.
10 Puturhandstogether - sweating very badly.
17 Peaky Blinder - not keen, plain.
16 Blindedbythelights (below also) - very much on toes and sweating.
12 Team Player - positive.
16 Blindedbythelights - fit but already getting warm, needs monitoring.
13 Chemistry - needs run.
2 A Piece Of Heaven - keen early here, is fit but needs to get settled.
8 Galileo Dame - strong, very fit.
6 Berkshire Sundance - positive, looks in great shape.
Full result and report
1. LAMBOURN 6/4 favourite
2. Bay City Roller 9/2
3. Ice Max 16/1
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Ryan Moore: "He won the Vase well here last year so we knew he'd handle the track, he was good at Epsom, Derby winner, Irish Derby winner and then carried a penalty in the Great Voltigeur and that didn't work out for him really.
"Ran in the Leger and he probably didn't stay so it's nice to bring him back here and bring him back in trip. Long time off, it's hard coming back from a mile six to a mile and a quarter so you'd be happy with him. He was probably just having a laugh with me round there really. We're nowhere near the bottom of him."
Verdict
There's enough that looks well if you want to take the 5 (Lambourn) on, who may well come on for this.
King's Gambit looks particularly well and gets the vote, but couldn't dissuade you with Royal Rhyme either.
Parade ring updates
1 Bay City Roller (below also) - has got very warm late, sweating.
The diminutive 9 (Sparks Fly) fine, but others look better.
6 Royal Rhyme (below also) - getting quite warm.
3 Ice Max - also two handlers, and another that might improve for fitness after this.
8 Sky Safari - two handlers, looks like he's got a bit of condition on him after a short break, will improve for this.
2 High Stock - big unit and needs the run, seen that look a lot fitter. Also on toes.
7 Starford - fit and fine, strong, looks well.
1 Bay City Roller - will come on plenty for this, bit left on him today.
4 King's Gambit - another to look well, has come forward quite a bit from Newmarket.
6 Royal Rhyme - looks well in his coat, fit, just a touch keen early.
Let's deal with 5 (Lambourn) first. Had a small whinny as he came in. Two handlers, but no sign of keenness. Looks pretty fit for reappearance, I'd say 90%.
Pre-parade.
Full result
1. GALIYAN 9/4
2. Joulany 10/11 favourite
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Oisin Murphy: "I felt, maybe, with Joulany having a bit more experience it might catch him out and it did, he was off the bridle for most of the race but he got the hang of it as we went along. He's clearly a nice horse.
"Bay City Roller chance but has a penalty. Berkshire Sundance bad draw, very consistent horse, I think half his races he has won, but I like a few of the lighter weight horses, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Ryan Moore, Jason Watson."
Verdict
I just favour Galiyan over Joulany given the progression made from his first start to second.
Parade ring updates
5 Take A Chill Pill (below also) - has grown on me, looks third best, for all he may be one for a more galloping track.
2 Galiyan (below also) - a little on toes, nothing to worry yet, but second handler now called for.
Glory Of The Seas looks quite small compared to Joulany and Galiyan in here; getting a bit keen too, isn't making a lot of appeal.
Into the parade ring.
5 Take A Chill Pill - last into pre parade, maybe a bit more racey than a few, still some strengthening up to do at the back.
3 Glory Of The Seas - fine, fit, nothing particularly outstanding about him.
Do like the 1 (Eben Al Khawaneej) as a physical, he has scope, but just too backward today
7 Morningtoncrescent - bit quiet early on, there's some size to her but she still looks like she needs the run.
2 Galiyan - lot less green than he was first time up and fair play, he's got the 1 (Eben Al Khawaneej) shouting his head off behind him and he hasn't turned a hair. Has come on plenty from first run.
6 Distorted Truth - fine, lacking a bit of substance at present, little tentative in the walk.
1 Eben Al Khawaneej - next in. Very green, shouting loudly, looking about. Lot of filling out on topline still to do.
4 Joulany - first in. Has red hood on. Lengthy, good core, very fit. No issues.
Full result
1. RESPOND 10/11 favourite
2. Whip Cracker 8/1
3. Janey Mackers 33/1
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Anna Lisa Balding: "I really enjoyed it. Oisin absolutely rode to instructions, the plan was if he broke to make it and try and make it a test for anything else to overtake, and he's given him another brilliant ride.
"He's not a particularly easy horse to train, I think Andrew has done quite a good job with him. He's a strong horse and in a lot of his previous races he hasn't settled, he's done his races the wrong way round but he's done great."
Verdict
You can't fault Respond, but El Burhan and Bragbor are perfectly good alternatives.
Parade ring updates
4 Auld Toon Loon (below also) - getting warm.
2 Great David - last in, easy to see why, straight on toes, keen, looks like he'll come on for this.
9 Bragbor (below also) - growing on me, improves with each circuit.
10 Bravais - stocky, needs the run.
14 Echalar - fit, on toes.
12 Callianassa - okay, barrelly type, others look better overall.
8 Janey Mackers - looking a bit light after absence , others preferred.
13 Triple Double A - only okay compared to a few, lacks a bit of size.
9 Bragbor - getting there, almost spot on here, maybe one more run required.
7 Whip Cracker - fit, maybe lacks the substance of one or two, but fine overall.
4 Auld Toon Loon - next in, big unit, looks a bit heavy, needs the run today.
These are the only two in the pre-parade ring so far.
6 Respond - next in and similar comments apply, very fit for this, looks really well.
3 El Burhan - first in and that can't be faulted, strong, fit.
Introduction
Good afternoon all.
Just had a walk of the track, more good to soft than good, in my opinion, and definitely good to soft/soft from the winning line to the 7f marker, going out, where more water has been put down.
Just to say I won't be covering the last today, the apprentices handicap, first 7 races will be covered. Many thanks, be lucky today!
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