Boodles May Festival Ladies Day Preview

Ladies Day preview, Stephen Wundke

Another cracking card and another peek at potential Derby Horses in what is a very strong line-up for the Tote Dee Stakes. I also like the look of the Group 3 Tote Ormonde and expect class to come to the fore. Let’s hope the rain stays away and we get a good surface for Day 2 of this compelling festival.

1:45

SATCHELL MORAN SOLICITORS BUSINESS INTERRUPTION CLAIMS HANDICAP (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) Winner £10,308 10 runners 5f15y

The unexposed 4y0 Mondammej is very appealing. His last win at Pontefract was his best to date but he has yet to race on a soft surface and this is a bigger field than he has encountered at this level. His pilot, Cam Hardie is a class act and will give him every assistance from a good draw in 2. Corinithia Knight would be a strong fancy if the ground dries but he never races on anything with soft in the description. Count D’Orsay has a bad run at Musselburgh to put behind him on his seasonal debut if he is to feature but conditions are ideal and he is well capable of winning of this mark. Makanah is interesting, he goes well fresh, likes the soft ground but may need to run a career best to win this one – still just 6, so it’s very possible. Which leaves us with Jabberockie, for Eric Alston, who won first time out at Musselburgh looking better than ever and has the plumb draw in 1 and deserves to be favourite

My Tips. 1 unit e/w Makanah @ 9/1, 2 units e/w Mondammej @ 4/1

2:15

TOTE+ BIGGEST DIVIDENDS AT TOTE.CO.UK DEE STAKES (LISTED RACE) (COLTS & GELDINGS) (Class 1) (3yo) Winner £34,026 7 runners 1m2f70y

Seven go to post in another of our Derby trials. Five have Derby entries and two have all the entries in all the big races this year you could possibly hope for in a 3yo. The first of those is Ontario, who despite his tender years, is enigmatic. He is by Galileo, has plenty of speed and has produced the best figures of any. He looks to me like a horse who will relish this longer trip, the ground shouldn’t be a problem and I think the added distance might be the making of him. Yibir is well fancied. This son of Dubawi out of a Monsun mare looks tailor made for a middle distance trip. His 3^rd first time out at Sandown was OK without screaming winner waiting to happen. As the likely pace angle, he just might have things his own way and that might prove dangerous. Maximal is a bit below the standard required to win this at the moment but he is going the right way and improving each run. His Newbury 2^nd was full of promise in his first start in 2021. Foxes Tale comes from the King Power set up. Andrew Balding has pitted him at a high level here and obviously thinks a lot of the horse. We haven’t seen that ability yet on the track but he is no doubt an improver.

My Tip: 2 units e/w Ontario @ 11/4.

2:45

DEEPBRIDGE ESTATE PLANNING SERVICE HANDICAP (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) Winner £10,308 9 runners 7f127y

Another tough race with 3yo’s over almost a mile here and all improving from 2yo at different rates. My four of interest in the field are, Aquaman, who won last time out at Catterick, goes on softer ground and is well drawn in 3, Aleas, for whom the only negative is stall 9, Master Zoffany, who ran poorly last time out but is a lot better than that form, with draw, trip, trainer and ability all a plus and Melody of Life who looks a likely improver for Andrew Balding.

My Tips : 2 units e/w Aleas @ 4/1 and 1 unit e/w Master Zoffany @ 12/1

3:15

TOTE+ PAYS YOU MORE AT TOTE.CO.UK ORMONDE STAKES (GROUP 3) (Class 1) (4yo+) Winner £45,368 8 runners 1m5f84y

Aiden O’Brien will be very keen to get a Group 3 win for Japan. He has dined at the very top tables around the world with moderate success. This is a much easier assignment and he has the class to walk this race if he wants it. Trueshan was a revelation for jumps trainer Alan King, last year. He may well be up to winning a race of this nature but it might be a touch short of his best. Withhold is an interesting horse, who if he can get a good position near the leaders has a fabulous cruising speed and a great turn of foot. Morando never wins as many races as he should and I will be annoyed if he pops up here to pip my selections. It’s too short for Euchen Glen, who is a fabulous horse and deserves a crack at this level but he may well tow them along at a decent clip.

My Tips : 3 units win Japan @ 11/8 and 1 unit e/w Withhold @ 11/1

3:45

DESTINATION 2 HANDICAP (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-90) Winner £6,185 14 runners 1m2f70y

My two against the field in this ultra-competitive handicap is Chester winner Baryshnikov, who has had his pipe-opener for the year (it wasn’t great!) and will have been primed for this race. Draw is good in 3 and he will be hard to keep out of the places. The other is First King, who is a big price, based on his poor first time run this year but two back he ran a big figure and he is a working man’s price for sure.

My Tips 1 unit e/w First King @ 14/1 and 1 unit e/w Baryshnikov @ 13/2

4:15

BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF MAIDEN STAKES (GBB RACE) (Class 2) (2yo) Winner £7,731 7 runners 5f15y

This should be fought out between the first two in the betting. Both horses ran solid figures on debut. The first is the Tom Dascombe trained Russellinthebushes, beaten a head at Redcar and for whom any ease in the ground shouldn’t be a problem. The alternative is Zoltan Star, who was also 2^nd on debut at Windsor. Drawn 1 he may just be the answer but I think the Dascombe filly might give him a lot to do.

My tip : 2 units win Zoltan Star @ 5/4

4:45

BOODLES HANDICAP (Class 3) (3yo 0-90) Winner £6,185 6 runners 1m4f63y 

No need to be too clever here. Baileys Derbyday will give Set Point a lead round and will just get done for a turn of foot. At least that’s how I see it panning out.

My Tip : 3 units e/w Set Point @ 3/1