Megan Nicholls Racing Preview: Chester May Festival Day 1 Tips

WEDNESDAY RACING TIPS

Chester 1.30 – Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes

Ali Shuffle (6/4 fav) has been good on both of her starts so far and can make her experience count here.

She looks a pretty straightforward type and looks a pretty speedy two-year-old from the first crop of A'Ali – a sire who has started his first season well.

There are plenty in here who could step forward, but she looks a solid favourite.

Megan’s Tip: Ali Shuffle WIN

Chester 2.05 – Five-furlong handicap

I like the chances of Redorange (11/4 fav) here.

He ran at Sandown in late April, where he was sent off favourite. He looked to get a bit tired towards the end of the race, having broken from the gates really well.

That will be a big advantage around Chester and his jockey, Rossa Ryan, won on him on his final start of his two-year-old campaign so knows him well.

On the back of that outing at Sandown he’ll have a fitness edge over a few of these and can make that count from a good draw in stall two.

Megan’s Tips: Redorange WIN

Chester 2.35 – Cheshire Oaks

Pardon the pun but I love That’s Amore (2/1) in the Cheshire Oaks.

She was very impressive on her debut at Newbury, albeit on heavy ground, but she absolutely bolted up in the style of a very good filly.

She’s a full-sister to Persica, who has got better with age, and I feel like this filly could well do the same.

It will be much quicker ground here but she looks classy and the fact they’ve chosen to come here over running in a novice with a penalty shows the high regard they hold her in.

Trainer Ralph Beckett has a good record in this race and That’s Amore can improve that further.

Megan’s Tip: That’s Amore WIN

Chester 3.05 – Chester Vase

The one for me in the Chester Vase is Aidan O’Brien’s Lambourn (2/1 fav).

His form from last year has worked out quite well and, while he was disappointing in the Beresford Stakes at the back end of the 2024 campaign, he ran with great credit when second to Delacroix in the Ballysax Stakes on his seasonal reappearance.

He stayed on really nicely over 10 furlongs there and the step up to 12 here should suit based on that. He looks the one to beat.

The other interesting one is Karl Burke’s Convergent (9/2). He is unbeaten in two starts, both coming at Redcar.

The form wouldn’t have an awful lot of depth to it and he’ll need to prove he’s up to this sort of class, but he has impressed and it’s hard to know how much more there is under the bonnet from this colt.

Megan’s Tip: Convergent WIN

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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation