Wednesday, Chester, post time: 15:05, THE BOODLES CHESTER VASE-G3, £145,000, 3yo, c/g, 12f 63yT
Field: Benvenuto Cellini (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Del Maro (Ger) (Camelot {GB}), Mr Colonel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Mr Vettori (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Proposition (Ire) (Frankel {GB}.
TDN Analysis: Current Derby favourite, Benvenuto Cellini returns under a penalty for his success in the G2 Champions Juvenile at Leopardstown in September, a performance that marked him apart. Easily forgiven his defeat in testing ground in the Futurity Trophy, he is up to a trip that will suit perfectly and it would be no surprise if he becomes the second consecutive Chester Vase winner to go on to Derby glory after stablemare Lambourn. Of course, the usual proviso applies of him having his first start back for a stable that always leaves plenty to work on but the impressive Newbury debut winner Water To Wine is out so his task is easier. Godolphin's Del Maro was beaten last term by two leading Derby hopes in Maltese Cross and Pierre Bonnard and needs to step up to put himself in the Derby picture. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, Chester, post time: 14:35, THE WEATHERBYS CHESHIRE OAKS-Listed, £120,000, 3yo, f, 11f 75yT
Field: Sugar Island (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), A La Prochaine (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Amelia Earhart (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), I'm The One (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Winged One (Ire) (Australia {GB}).
TDN Analysis: A small but select field for a race that has always been held in esteem by the purists but which is fast becoming the leading Oaks trial. Minnie Hauk and Enable completed the double in recent times and it could be that I'm The One is the next one if her impressive Newbury debut is anything to go by. Labelled a TDN Rising Star having dazzled in the race won in the past by Eswarah, Dancing Rain and the stable's Star Catcher, she faces her first real examination here with Ballydoyle's highly-regarded Amelia Earhart and G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes winner Sugar Island in attendance. Neither of that duo are guaranteed to relish this stamina test, while last year's Newbury debut winner A La Prochaine and Newcastle scorer Winged One come from two of the finest stables around. The latter is a relative of Order Of St George and certain to relish the trip. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, Chester, post time: 15:05, THE LADBROKES ORMONDE STAKES-G3, £150,000, 4yo/up, 13f 84yT
Field: Sons And Lovers (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Beylerbeyi (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Mount Atlas (GB) (Masar {Ire}), Rahiebb (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Real Dream (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: Jan Brueghel returns from a lengthy lay-off after failing to shine on fast ground in the King George, but has what looks an ideal trip and a kind surface to relaunch his career. Joined by another Ballydoyle runner starting out for the year in last year's winner Illinois, he is clear on form and anything near the level of his Coronation Cup defeat of Calandagan will certainly be good enough. The St Leger runner-up Rahiebb is the other intriguing runner and bearing in mind how close he got to Scandinavia at Doncaster is the most likely to spoil Aidan O'Brien's annual Chester celebrations. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, Chester, post time: 14:35, THE BOODLES RAINDANCE DEE STAKES-Listed, £100,000, 3yo, c/g, 10f 70yT
Field: Morshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Shayem (Ire) (King Of Change {Ire}), Constitution River (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Flushing Meadows (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Generic (Ire) (Kameko), Golden Story (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: Like Benvenuto Cellini, Constitution River makes his seasonal bow with obvious questions surrounding how straight he will be while possessing a class edge over his peers. Not seen after his Futurity win in August, he should be okay over this trip but whether he wants the Derby trip is another question. Morshdi is forced to carry a penalty for his defeat of Poseidon's Warrior in the Feilden last month and while the runner-up has disappointed in the interim, overall that form suggests he should put up a fight. Golden Story impressed on his sole start at Doncaster in October, when greenness stopped him from beating the useful Infraad by a wide margin and if he handles this occasion is a danger to all. [Tom Frary].
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