Today
Chester’s popular May festival gets underway with the Chester Vase (3.40), which serves as a prep race for leading Derby contenders, the highlight of the opening day.
John and Thady Gosden, who won the race with Arrest last year, saddle Pappano, while the leading operations of Ballydoyle and Godolphin are also likely to be well represented.
Jan Brueghel, a brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign, is a notable maiden entry (4.10) on the card for Aidan O’Brien and the yard will also be well represented in the Listed Cheshire Oaks (3.05), which they have won for five of the last eight years.
Promising bumper runner Kingston James seeks a Go North Final (4.55) success at Kelso, which also stages a strong mares’ series final handicap hurdle (3.45).
Tomorrow
Hamish will bid for a historic third success in the Ormonde Stakes (3.40) on day two of the Chester May meeting and will seek to continue his winning streak for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
The eight-year-old has won his last five races but will face a tough assignment against potential rivals Arrest and County Hurdle winner Absurde, who will bid to give Willie Mullins a first success at the track. The Group 3 contest is supported by the Listed Dee Stakes (3.05) headed by Derby entry God’s Window.
ITV4 is also set to broadcast the 2m3½f handicap hurdle (1.50) at Huntingdon, which is one of three jumps meetings on Thursday alongside Tipperary and Stratford.
Gowran opens its doors again for a rescheduled Flat meeting from April, while Brighton and Chelmsford round out the day’s action.
Friday
The Chester May festival ends on a high with the fiercely competitive £170,000 Chester Cup (3.40).
Last year’s winner Metier returns for more but will have to contest a full field for this 2m2½f handicap, which hasn’t gone the way of a favourite for the last 12 runnings.
The Huxley Stakes (3.05) precedes the track’s feature race and is headed by Passenger, who missed this meeting last year due to soft ground but could bid to give Sir Michael Stoute a second win in this Group 2 contest in the last three years.
Ascot warms up for its big card on Saturday with a seven-race Flat fixture while there is a host of racing across Britain and Ireland, including the lucrative Mallow Handicap (5.50) at Cork.
Saturday
It is trials day at Lingfield as the track stages the Listed Derby Trial Stakes (3.00) and the Listed Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (2.25)
Nine winners of the colts’ contest have gone on to Epsom glory, with 2021 runner-up Adayar another to enhance the race’s trial status with Classic victory a month later.
After claiming Classic success at Newmarket, Godolphin could field some live Epsom contenders after sweeping these Listed contests last year.
Ascot also hosts a Premier meeting headlined by the Victoria Cup (2.40), a 7f heritage handicap worth £100,000, while Naas provides Group action with the Jannah Rose Stakes.
Meanwhile Haydock holds its unique mixed card led by the Swinton Handicap Hurdle (3.15), won last year by the Kerry Lee-trained Black Poppy, before reverting back to the Flat for the Listed Spring Trophy Stakes (3.50).
More Flat racing comes Nottingham and Leicester while jump racing can be found at Cork, with Warwick and Hexham in the evening.
Sunday
Longchamp hosts the pick of the action on Sunday with the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the French 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas.
Among those likely to contest the Poule d’Essai des Poulains are Dancing Gemini for Roger Teal and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Henry Longfellow, with the yard last winning the race in 2021 with St Mark’s Basilica.
Classics are also on the mind of those at Leopardstown, which stages its Group 3 Derby Trial that has been dominated by Ballydoyle winners over recent years.
The Group 3 Amethyst Stakes also features on the card and more Flat racing takes place at Newcastle on the all-weather.
Jumps action is at Ludlow and Plumpton, and Killarney also run their feature Killarney National.
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