Latest news with #BoodlesChesterMayFestival
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minnie Hauk lands the Betfred Oaks at Epsom
Minnie Hauk (9-2) won a thrilling battle with stable-mate Whirl (15-2) to give Aidan O'Brien an 11th victory in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday afternoon. Minnie Hauk – an impressive winner of the Listed Cheshire Oaks at last month's Boodles Chester May Festival – just got the better of her stable-mate in a thrilling battle to the line, scoring by a neck under stable jockey Ryan Moore with Godolphin's 1,000 Guineas heroine and 11-10 favourite Desert Flower four lengths back in third. Moore had the choice of O'Brien's three challengers in the Fillies' Classic – with Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Giselle, who eventually came home fifth, also entered. But he passed over her and the Musidora Stakes winner Whirl for the improving daughter of Frankel, Minnie Hauk, who had won for a second time in three career starts on the Roodee last month. Advertisement Under Moore, Minnie Hauk was sat a couple of lengths off the pace set by Whirl and Wayne Lordan. When Whirl kicked for home after the turn around Tattenham Corner, Moore moved Minnie Hauk closer to challenge. The two Ballydoyle fillies quickly went clear of their rivals and in a protracted battle all the way up the home straight, both gave their all but it was just Minnie Hauk who prevailed by a neck. READ MORE: Horse Power: The Lion In Winter to roar back with victory in the Betfred Derby at Epsom READ MORE: Jan Brueghel crowned a winner in the Coronation Cup at Epsom O'Brien is now closing on 19th century trainer Robert Robson's 13 victories in the Epsom Classic as Minnie Hauk followed the likes of his former Oaks scorers including Alexandrova, Minding, Love, Snowfall and his most recent victor Tuesday (2022) into the winner's enclosure. Having won a 30th Group One at the Derby Festival with Jan Brueghel's success in the Coronation Cup earlier in the day, Moore and O'Brien were again the men for the big occasion. Advertisement O'Brien said: 'I'm delighted with her; she's very classy and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride. He loved her the last day (at Chester) and then again today, so she's very exciting. She's obviously learning - she went to Chester and learnt a lot and was still green, and she was always improving from mid-race. What you love about her is that she's a great traveller; she has a lot of class. Ryan felt he was going very easily today on her and usually what that means is that she will be able to step up a couple of grades into even higher-class races. It's lovely for the lads and for everyone to have another filly like that. 'Colin [Keane] was delighted with his filly (Giselle, fifth); he said she's a bit of a baby and a bit weak, so she will improve. Whirl (second) ran a great race; she stays and obviously has a lot of class too. We were going to go forward if no one else wanted to. Ryan was going to go forward, and so was Wayne. Obviously Colin didn't want to go forward; his filly was too keen and we all knew that; he was going to try to get her to relax and see what would happen. I don't think it was too fast a pace. I'm delighted with the way it all went. 'Those Wootton Bassetts (Whirl's sire) – obviously they have speed but they also stay. Obviously she got a mile and a quarter at York by staying and we thought there was a chance she would get the mile and a half, but we weren't sure. Ryan said that he would have been happier going a bit faster in the first half of race, and usually the sign of a very classy filly, so that means she'll be very comfortable standing up against the older horses when the time comes. We'll see. I'm delighted for everyone. It's a big team and everyone plays their part – I'm just the observer, really, and it's the lads who, every year, keep these pedigrees going and make sure we have these horses to be able to work with.' Moore, who was wining a fifth Oaks, said: "She began well and travelled strong early and I just wanted to make sure I was in a position to do what I wanted when I wanted. She just travelled a bit too strong and fell asleep on me then after I asked her to relax. The filly in front is a good filly and kept building the whole way and I just had to ask my filly to go to her and she quickened up very smartly and got there easily. Whirl came back and my filly found a little bit more. I think she'll improve for the experience and as far as three-year-old fillies go she's very good. Advertisement "She'll be (going for the) Irish Oaks/Nassau Stakes, that sort of thing, and we'll go from there. She's a lightly-raced filly and should improve." Moore added: "I rode some exceptional fillies in this race, Love and Minding spring to mind and Snow Fairy as well. She's got a way to go, but she's open to any amount of improvement." Lordan, who rode runner-up Whirl, said: 'I've gone a nice gallop as we felt that she would stay. She was loving it out the front; she kept extending well. Ryan went a good half-length off me. I think both fillies were just coming to the end of their tether and having a bit of a roll around, but I felt we had been well held at the line. I couldn't fault my filly – she ran a stormer. She's a lovely filly and she tries hard. She's very straightforward, very uncomplicated and she shows you everything she has.' Charlie Appleby, trainer of the third-placed Desert Flower, said: 'It just looked like she got a bit unbalanced coming down the hill and hit a bit of a flat spot just at the point you don't want to, but take nothing away from the first two as they just kept galloping. We all think she got it [the trip] and personally I'd like to see her in something like the Yorkshire Oaks, on a nice galloping track. We'll give her a break now. Will just thought she'd be more comfortable on a sounder surface than she got today. She won on slow ground in the Fillies' Mile, but slow ground on a track like this might have been a consideration. Back on a more conventional track will hopefully be more her gig.' Advertisement Keane, who was on board fifth-placed Giselle, said: 'She ran okay. She was a little bit in my hands in the first half then settled as we went on. She feels like a filly who lengthens and gallops rather than quickens, but it was a nice run.' Jockey Jim Crowley said of seventh-placed Elwateen: 'She was disappointing. We were beaten turning in so we can't blame the trip. I had a lovely run round but it just didn't happen.' The David O'Meara-trained Mirsky (6-1) won the Trustatrader Handicap, under Oisin Murphy, by a comfortable length-and-a-quarter from Alpha Circus (8-1) with the winner's stable-mate Julia Augusta (40-1) a further three-quarters-of-a-length back third and Ebt's Guard (9-2) another neck adrift in fourth. The ex-French winner backed up a recent win at Thirsk and could now head to Royal Ascot for the Royal Hunt Cup. Trainer O'Meara said: 'He ran well a few times last year without winning, but we always felt he had something like this in him. It maybe took us a while to get the hang of him, but he's won his last two now, which is great. The Hunt Cup would be a possibility now. Julia Augusta ran well in third. She'd run well here last year in the Diomed but hadn't run before this season. Bopedro just found it a bit sharp here but was staying on in fifth, so they all ran well.' Winning rider Murphy added: 'That was good placing by David, who really fancied him today. I've ridden plenty of nice winners for him here and it was nice of him to put me up again.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025: East India Dock wins the Chester Cup
East India Dock (9-4 favourite) grabbed victory in the Ladbrokes Chester Cup on final day of the 2025 Boodles Chester May Festival. James Owen's four-year-old, who had finished third in the JCB Triumph Hurdle over Jumps at the Cheltenham Festival, transferred that form back to the Flat to land the prestigious feature on the Roodee, under Harry Davies. The jockey was winning the race for a second successive season after partnering Zoffee 12 months ago. Last year's winner, the Hugo Palmer-trained Zoffee – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former England and Liverpool FC forward Michael Owen – went to the front initially before Irish raider Leinster (10-3) and Ryan Moore took over with Caballo De Mar (11-2) sat in third. Davies had East India Dock just in behind the leading trio and as the pace increased, he followed Caballo De Mar through when that in-form rival moved to the front after the turn for home. But East India Dock was travelling supremely well and having closed in on his main rival, he moved clear and score by a length from Caballo De Mar. Zoffee ran another fine race and having been second in 2023 and won last year, he came home third a length-and-three-quarters back with Leinster a further three-quarters-of-a-length further adrift in fourth and Who's Glen (9-1) fifth. READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day three: Caballo De Mar can win the Chester Cup READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025: Lambourn wins the Chester Vase to book Derby ticket Newmarket trainer Owen was winning his first Chester Cup with only his second runner in the race and was delighted to see his owners' plan come to fruition. He said: "He travelled lovely and hit his flat spot like he usually does but he stayed on well. (Owners) Tim and Mr (Bill) Gredley had this plan and it's great that we have pulled it off. There are some big pots on the Flat and he's a lovely dual-purpose horse now. To win the Chester Cup is fantastic, we've hit the crossbar a few times coming here, but it's nice to have a winner here and we've won the big one." Davies, who became the first jockey to win back-to-back runnings of the Chester Cup since Philip Robinson scored twice on Anak Pekan in 2004 and 2005, told Sky Sports Racing: "I'm very lucky to get the rides in this race I have and every time I have ridden in it I don't think I've had a bad ride. He got a good draw which always helps round here and he jumped good, I was able to hold my pitch and then he was gutsy. He stays well and had the perfect profile coming into the race. "He loved that dead ground and while everything else was sort of half struggling, he just cruised on through – what a tough horse and I'm delighted for connections. He's a strong traveller and when horses have run over hurdles they learn how to relax better and in a race like this where you have to really rev them to hold their pitch, if they can then relax and drop the bridle there is nothing better. James has been very supportive of me and the Gredley Family have also been happy for me to ride their horses and I was delighted when I got the ride on this fella." Michael Bell's Let's Dream (33-1) landed a shock victory in the Precision Facades Handicap under Warren Fentiman. The four-year-old held on to score by a head from Auld Toon Loon (18-1) with Rathgar (6-1) a further two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length back in third just holding off Flight Leader (33-1) by a short head.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025: The Foxes wins the Huxley Stakes
The Foxes (13-8 favourite) got back to winning ways with victory in the Group Two IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes on final day of the Boodles Chester May Festival. Andrew Balding's five-year-old won the Dante Stakes at York in 2023 before finishing fifth in the Derby at Epsom and runner-up in the Grade One Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park. He didn't quitet gone on from that promising Classic year, although he did win a Listed event over 1m2f at Newcastle in November last year before finishing fourth in the Group One Hong Kong Cup the following month. Having been second to Rebel's Romance in the Amir Trophy at Al Uqda in February back in Britain The Foxes returned to winning ways and could be aimed at either next month's Royal Ascot and/or the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. Under Oisin Murphy, The Foxes was sat in third place on the rail behind the pace set by Bolster. And on the turn for home when Cairo (40-1) challenged the leader, Murphy brought The Foxes to the outside and quickly joined Cairo in the lead. He galloped on well to eventually score by a length-and-three-quarters from Cairo with Liberty Lane (5-1) the same distance back in third. READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day three: Caballo De Mar can win the Chester Cup READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025: Lambourn wins the Chester Vase to book Derby ticket Paddy Power cut The Foxes to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at the Royal meeting, while he is 66-1 with the same firm for the Eclipse. Winning jockey Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: "He was superbly prepared by everyone at home as it wasn't completely smooth sailing from Doha to here and Andrew is going to be delighted with that. He was push button and one of the easiest rides you will have round here. It's all down to the work at home and he wasn't always that easy to ride or have that gate speed, but it has come together over the last few starts and that was a joy to be a part of. "Andrew was happy for me to do whatever and it is important to have big winners for owners King Power Racing, they invest a lot into the sport and it's great to ride for them and have winners for them. Andrew will have a think about what he could run in at Royal Ascot and we also had a Group Two winner the other day in Bellum Justum and they kind of fit in the same category. They are both 10-or 12 furlong horses and one is four and one is five, so Andrew will have a think." The trainer's wife Anna Lisa Balding added: "We're absolutely delighted and you need a lot of luck as you always do round Chester. He had a good draw but we needed a good pilot and Oisin did a brilliant job. The horse has been in brilliant form at home and Maddy, one of our assistants, rides him every day, she loves him and has done a super job with him. He picked up half a million pounds for going to Qatar and finishing second and he's a very bonny horse who loves his job and really deserved that today." Course and distance winner Two Tempting (9-4 favourite) scored again on the Roodee in the opener, the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap. Jonathan Portman's six-year-old won over course and distance and having been fourth at Newbury last month, he returned to winning ways back at Chester. Two Tempting, under Rob Hornby, jumped well from the plum draw in stall one and sat just off the pace set by Partisan Hero (12-1). After the turn for home, Hornby moved Two Tempting up to challenge the leader and he smoothly went to the front and went on to scored by three-quarters-of-a-length from Partisan Hero with Kindest Nation (33-1) a further three lengths back in third with Cracking Gold (20-1) another half-a-length adrift in fourth. Al Wasl Storm (9-1) led from start to finish to win the Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes and potentially book a trip to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. The Owen Burrows-trained three-year-old was landing a first success in three starts, having been second at Lingfield last month. Al Wasl Storm broke out well under David Probert and dictated the extended 1m4f contest. He made all the running and beat Willie Haggas' Orinios, who has been second all the way under Tom Marquand, by a length-and-a-quarter with Ammes a neck back in third. The well-backed 11-10 favourite The Pouncing Lion disappointed and came home last of the six runners.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025: Mount Kilimanjaro wins the Dee Stakes
Mount Kilimanjaro (evens favourite) gave Aidan O'Brien a record-breaking 12th victory in the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes on day two of the 2025 Boodles Chester May Festival. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee, the three-year-old may have booked his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. O'Brien drew level with Barry Hills on 11 victories in the Dee Stakes last year with the victory of Capulet and Mount Kilimanjaro helped the Ballydoyle maestro claim the record as he scored by a neck under Ryan Moore. The son of Siyouni out of a Galileo mare had won once in five starts when landing Arqana Series – Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Autome Stakes at ParisLongchamp in October before finishing second to his smart stable-mate Twain in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last that month. Having been third on his seasonal return at Dundalk the three-year-old improved again for the step up to an extended 1m2f trip to land his second victory. Although the Dee Stakes has thrown up some decent performers, not least those trained by O'Brien, no horse has won the extended 1m2f contest on the Roodee and gone on to Derby glory at Epsom since Sir Michael Stoute's Kris Kin in 2003 and Oath four years earlier. But Mount Kilimanjaro has at least given connections food for thought over whether he is part of their squad for the Colts' Classic, for which he is now a best-priced 33-1 with William Hill. READ MORE: Travel expert says 'don't get caught out' to anyone with a UK passport READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day three: Caballo De Mar can win the Chester Cup Mount Kilimanjaro was in arrears for much of the Dee Stakes as Hott Shott and stable-mate Isambard Brunel cut out the early running. But High Stock (11-4) was travelling much better under Oisin Murphy sat just off the pace and he made his move to lead coming to the final two furlongs. Jockey Moore had to work hard on Mount Kilimanjaro but once he got into his stride he reeled in Andrew Balding's Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes winner High Stock to score by a neck with Great David (25-1) two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length back in third. Jockey Moore, winning the Dee Stakes for a record-extending eighth time, said: "The pace was on early, everyone wanted to be handy, and I ended up caught back behind a couple of horses I didn't really want to follow. The second horse has had a charmed run around the inside and I've had to bide my time a little bit, but when I put him in the clear he picked up well. He had good form last year, he's come on for his first run and the step up in trip suited him." Paul Smith, son of Coolmore co-owner Derrick, said: "It was a great ride by Ryan, he was very patient. I think the pace was very honest and Ryan didn't panic and the horse quickened up well and showed a nice attitude. As we've always said, they learn so much here – it's almost like they have two races in one. He'll come forward again from this, so we're delighted with him. I think he'll go for a Derby of some sorts, either Epsom or the French Derby was mentioned as well. There's options for him and we'll just see how the trials go and juggle them and see where they all go." Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley added: "I thought this fella showed a great turn of foot and I suppose it gives us the option of either going to Epsom or going to France with him. It was a good performance and Ryan was very complimentary. I was impressed and it makes it a record of Dee Stakes wins for Aidan with 12." Roman Dragon (8-1) came through to land a record sixth victory on the Roodee when landing the opener on day two of the May Festival, the CAA Stellar Handicap. Trained by Hugo Palmer – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former England and Liverpool FC forward Michael Owen – the six-year-old's victory was an emotional success for part-owner Nick Hughes. Under Oisin Murphy, Roman Dragon was winning for a sixth time on the Roodee but a first over the minimum distance. From stall two Rosenpur (12-1), under Warren Fentiman, tried to make all the running but just as it looked like he might hang on into the final furlong, Murphy brought Roman Dragon through on his inside to score by half-a-length. Rosenpur held on for second three-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Balmoral Lady (16-1) with veteran course and distance winner Copper Knight (9-1) was half-a-length further adrift in fourth. Emotional owner Hughes, who lives nearby and was first brought to Chester as a six-year-old by his dad, was delighted Roman Dragon became the winning-most horse on the Roodee with his sixth success. Palmer, jockey Murphy and Owen grabbed a quickfire double when newcomer Tricky Tel (5-6 favourite) – named after the former Reds' striker dad Terry Owen, who made two appearances for Everton FC and played mainly for Chester FC – triumphed in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes. The two-year-old Ubettabelieveit colt was quickly away and got to the front past initial leader Davvy with a furlong from home and kept on well to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths from Call Me By My Name (25-1) with Senorita Vega (9-1) was a neck back in third.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025 day three: Caballo De Mar can win the Chester Cup
CABALLO DE MAR can triumph in the Ladbrokes Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (3.05pm) on final day of the Boodles Chester May Festival. George Scott's four-year-old has been in fine form on the all-weather recently and he can transfer that back on Turf to land the prestigious feature of the May meeting on the Roodee. Having landed a first career win on his eighth start over an extended 1m5f at Ayr last September, the gelded son of Phoenix Of Spain has turned into a winning machine, scoring four times on the all-weather track at Southwell. He has progressed up the handicap ratings with those four wins, the last over 2m½f at the end of last month. He has risen 19lbs since that first success in Scotland but he keeps defying the handicapper and the latest win saw him pick up a 5lb penalty which ensured his place in Friday's Chester Cup. He still looks on a winnable mark and back on Turf he can progress further to triumph. Caballo De Mar has a decent enough draw in stall eight and as a horse who likes to race prominently he can hopefully get a good early position. He is yet to stay this far but everything suggests he will and it may bring out more improvement in him. READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025: Mount Kilimanjaro wins the Dee Stakes READ MORE: Billy Butler issues health update as fans wish him well The Hugo Palmer-trained Zoffee – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former England and Liverpool FC forward Michael Owen – won the race last year and will go well again off the same handicap mark as his triumph 12 months ago, from another good draw in stall four. Andrew Balding's recent Kempton runner-up Who's Glen and the Joseph O'Brien-trained Irish raider Leinster are others who have a chance of victory but Caballo De Mar can just come out on top. THE FOXES can win the Group Two IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes (2.35pm). Andrew Balding's five-year-old won the Dante Stakes at York in 2023 before finishing fifth in the Derby at Epsom and runner-up in the Grade One Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park. He probably hasn't gone on as well as connections hoped since that promising Classic year. But he did win a Listed event over 1m2f at Newcastle in November last year before finishing fourth in the Group One Hong Kong Cup the following month. He finished second to Rebel's Romance in the Amir Trophy at Al Uqda in February and will be making his seasonal return in Britain on the Roodee. This looks a good starting point for the son of Churchill and he can beat chiefly Space Legend to land a first Group race win since that Dante Stakes victory. TAILORMAN can take the finale to Chester's May Festival, the Ladbrokes Get Rewarded With Ladbucks Chester Plate Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.45pm). Trainer Ian Williams has a good record in staying contests on the Roodee and his five-year-old can provide him with another victory in the 2m2f handicap. Tailorman is yet to win beyond two miles, but he has some good form in these type of events, having been placed three times at Chester. He was third over two miles last August and second over an extended 1m6f the following month on the Roodee. He won at Kempton later on in September and is generally very consistent. He returned to action with another placed effort, when third at Nottingham at the end of last month. With that run under his belt he can do even better and triumph ahead of chiefly Charlie Johnston pair Artisan Dancer and previous course winner Dreams Adozen. Course and distance winner TWO TEMPTING can score again on the Roodee in the opener, the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap (1.30pm). Jonathan Portman's six-year-old won over course and distance from just a 1lb higher handicap mark last August. He ran a decent race when fourth at Newbury last month, hinting that he may be ready to return to winning ways. He is drawn in stall one and although it is not as advantageous over a mile at Chester, it is still always preferable to be in the low numbers. Two Tempting can take advantage and score again. RATHGAR can win the Precision Facades Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (3.40pm). Jack Channon's five-year-old won at Goodwood and Yarmouth last season, the first over 1m6f and the latter in July over this 1m2f trip. He is 3lb higher in the handicap now but he ran a smart race to be second to City Of Delight at Epsom last month. Rathgar can go one better and return to winning ways. REEL ROSIE could land something of a shock win in the Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap (GBBplus Race) (4.10pm). Jennie Candlish's six-year-old has been running over Jumps recently, winning at Sedgefield in November and finishing third at the same venue in January. She is back on the Flat for the first time since she was sixth at Wolverhampton in October. But Candlish's mare has won at Chester over 1m2f in September 2023 and she is now 2lb lower than for that success. The hope is she can take advantage of that mark over this longer trip of 1m4f to at least make the frame. James Owen's treble-seeking Sportingsilvermine and Obsidian Knight, also bidding for a hat-trick of successes, rate the main dangers. Willie Haggas' ORIONIS can land a first victory in the Boodles Darley EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB/GBBplus Race) (2.05pm). The Sea The Stars filly was sixth on her debut at Wolverhampton last November and third at Wetherby, stepped up to 1m2f, on her return to action last month. With that under her belt the three-year-old can land a first victory on her third start. CHESTER MAY FESTIVAL 2025 (Day Three) 1.30pm Two Tempting2.05pm Orionis2.35pm The Foxes3.05pm Caballo De Mar (NAP)3.40pm Rathgar4.10pm Reel Rosie4.45pm Tailorman
