MEGAN NICHOLLS RACING TIPS - CHESTER MAY FESTIVAL & Ascot

BetMGM horse racing ambassador Megan Nicholls brings her renowned insight on the best meetings in the sport exclusively to our blog every week.

The Chester Cup and Huxley Stakes are on her hitlist as the former jockey, now an award-winning TV pundit, turns her attention to the third day of the Chester May Festival as well as the opening day of the Ascot Racing Weekend meeting.

Friday Racing Tips

Chester 2.35 – Friday Handicap

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has a strong hand here but Roger Varian’s horses are really hitting form so I’m going with Botanical (4/1) of the owner’s pair.

He was progressive last year, doesn’t seem to mind any type of ground and was pretty track versatile as well. I feel as if Botanical could still be nicely handicapped and is going in the right direction.

Sheikh Obaid’s other runner, Bolster (7/2 fav), left Simon and Ed Crisford for Karl Burke and is back to form after making a winning start with his new team at Pontefract last month.

Yet he was in and out last year so his profile is questionable – that’s the reason that, between the two Sheikh Obaid horses, I’m going for Varian’s Botanical.

Of the other runners Box To Box (13/2) had a good time of things in Bahrain from December to February. Hugo Palmer’s charge goes really well at Chester, having won twice here last year and in 2022.

Megan’s Tip: Botanical WIN; Box To Box E/W

Chester 3.05 – Huxley Stakes

Chester could suit Israr (3/1). He doesn’t tend to find an awful lot off the bridle but it’s the type of track that might just keep him interested.

He travelled very strongly into the race on his return in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown last month. The race collapsed in front of him that day and he ended up hitting the front sooner than was ideal and then didn’t do a lot when he was on his own afterwards.

As a result they might ride Israr with a little bit of patience here and look to play his cards pretty late so I like his chances around this track. He’s a little bit of a cliff horse but Chester will suit him and he’s got the fitness edge over one or two of the others in the field.

I’m also looking forward to seeing Passenger back (5/2). He showed promise as a three-year-old and was particularly eye-catching in the Dante Stakes at York. He was disappointing in the Derby last year but bounced back by winning the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor last time out.

Passenger is still a horse with loads of promise and a big future – I don’t see him as a horse for Chester necessarily but I loved him at York on the big galloping track, it was the right type of place for him.

Megan’s Tip: Israr WIN

Chester 3.40 – The Chester Cup

The Shunter (8/1) is fascinating on the flat. He stays well but also travels well; for instance he picked up nicely when winning the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last year and there could still be more to come.

A fast race will suit him and he could easily pick up some more big handicaps along the way this season. Emmet Mullins has worked wonders with this horse;he’s been an amazing one for the yard and brought in some mega prize money.

Elsewhere, Magellan Strait (8/1) for Joseph O’Brien is unexposed compared to one or two at the marathon trip. He had a nice return when winning at Dundalk in January, is ground versatile and seems a fairly straightforward horse.

He’s got plenty of weight on his back but he, along with The Shunter, have caught my eye the most, especially given Irish trainers tend to do very well coming over for these big handicaps.

Megan’s Tip: The Shunter E/W; Magellan Strait E/W

Ascot 1.50 – Style Handicap

Over at Ascot, Dragon Leader (5/2 fav) makes his seasonal debut having done nothing wrong during the last campaign. His only defeat came over a distance which probably stretched him on soft ground. He might have been beaten there but I wouldn’t knock the performance too much and he came out and was impressive at Redcar subsequently.

I just think this is a very talented horse and physically I expect him to improve now being another year older. He also gets ground that he will enjoy and he looks the one to beat.

American Bay (9/4) might have a fitness edge and didn’t have any luck at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance having met all sorts of traffic problems. I would question the strength in depth of that race, though, and I’m not sure it was as good as those Dragon Leader ran in as a two-year-old.

He was a real eye-catcher in that race but I think Dragon Leader is a classier animal.

Megan’s Tip: Dragon Leader WIN

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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation