Megan Nicholls Racing Preview – Chester May Festival Betting Tips

BetMGM ambassador Megan Nicholls offers her insight into the world of horse racing as she brings her first-rate knowledge exclusively to our blog every week.

The former jockey, who rode more than 110 winners before turning her hand to television punditry, casts her eye over day two of the Chester May Meeting.

Thursday Racing Tips

Chester 1.30 – CAA Stellar Handicap

I’m going to keep it simple here and go with Roman Dragon (4/1 fav), who is drawn extremely well down the inside and is pretty sharp. He goes very well here at Chester, keeps it simple and gets ridden near the pace.

I just think he’s the horse that will enjoy this ground and the track and comes into this having run really well in Bahrain on his last two starts.

I think the ground will be too quick for Democracy Dilemma (5/1), so if we were looking for one at a slightly bigger price to run into the places, I don’t think Clearpoint (17/2) will be a million miles away with fitness on his side.

He didn’t run badly at Epsom last time despite getting in a bit of trouble in running and has been keeping his form well through the winter. He’s another that’s well-drawn and could go well at a decent enough price.

Megan’s Tip: Roman Dragon WIN; Clearpoint E/W

Chester 2.35 – Halliwell Jones Handicap

Never So Brave (11/8 fav) goes on a slightly different surface on Thursday but his form looks pretty hot.

He was behind eventual Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom on his debut at Newmarket last June and next time out he was behind the excellent Vandeek, so he bumped into a couple of very talented horses last year.

Never So Brave returned over the seven furlongs to win very comfortably at Thirsk and was never really asked too many questions, so there should be more to come.

He’s a strong traveller, the sharp track should suit and he could be much better than his mark of 94. With those facts in mind, absolutely fair play for running him in a handicap and making the most of that potentially generous mark. He’s a horse that can massively progress throughout this season.

At bigger prices, if you are looking for the forecast, possibly Dashing Darcey (11/2), who went well around the bend at Lingfield and wasn’t beaten far at all at Newbury on the straight track last time.

That was his turf debut and I think he’s the type of horse that could just be well-weighted and chase home Never So Brave.

Megan’s Tip: Never So Brave 1st, Dashing Darcey 2nd (Forecast)

Chester 3.05 – Dee Stakes

A tight little race, this. I was very impressed with Bracken’s Laugh (3/1) when winning nicely at Chelmsford last month.

I know this is a horse that trainer Richard Hughes thinks an awful lot of – and it was an impressive performance that day. It was definitely the right move on his return to start over the mile but Richard has lots of confidence that this horse will stay further so he takes another chance over 10 here.

I suppose God’s Window (2/1) looks the obvious one in that he’s done very little wrong in three starts. He was third on his second start in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster; he was just too immature, too keen and got quite worked up beforehand. He did things the wrong way really, which can happen on a horse’s second start.

However, he returned at Nottingham and was much better behaved in the prelims. It was only a three-runner race and nowhere near the grade of this race but he was very impressive and he looks to have matured over the winter.

I don’t know that there’s an awful lot between Bracken’s Laugh and God’s Window and I think this is a very decent renewal.

That said, I am actually going away from the pair of them and choosing Jayarebe (5/2).

He returned for trainer Brian Meehan by winning at Newmarket in the Feilden Stakes last month. He beat Caviar Heights that day, who was very impressive back at the same venue over the weekend in the Newmarket Stakes, so that form has worked out really well.

Jayarebe has enjoyed nice ground and, while all these horses are lightly raced, he is potentially the biggest improver here. He will enjoy the decent ground and I’m sure won’t mind this track. He’s two from two at Newmarket, which is very different from Chester but he seems a well-balanced horse and that can be important.

Megan’s Tip: Jayarebe WIN

Chester 3.40 – Ormonde Stakes

I thought this was the trickiest to work out because a few of these have possibly returned under par.

Enemy (12/1) is an absolute legend and does very well abroad; he wasn’t at his best at Meydan but he ran a huge race in Saudi Arabia, as he had the previous year, so obviously goes well over there. He’s only run once before at Chester – fifth in the Ormonde Stakes a year ago – but trainer Ian Williams doesn’t do too badly there.

I’m not convinced the quick ground is massively to the liking of Arrest (13/8 fav). He won on good-to-firm in his maiden but it’s been said that his most suitable ground is with plenty of cut. He was impressive in the Chester Vase last year but it was very different ground.

I am going to go against him and instead look at Point Lonsdale (2/1).

The form of Aidan O’Brien’s yard has been very much questioned recently but he’s a talented horse and the ground won’t be an issue for him whatsoever.

I think I’m going to keep it simple here. Aidan tends to do well at this Chester meeting; his horses have got to really turn around now but it’s not a case of them not having winners, it’s possibly a few of them not performing up to the grade they would have liked.

Point Lonsdale is back at Chester where he was won previously and the ground is fine for him. It wasn’t a bad performance at Meydan last time when a huge price and this is a much easier race.

Megan’s Tip: Point Lonsdale WIN

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odds correct at time of publication but subject to change