Boodles May Festival Ladies Day

After an action-packed opening day, crowds gathered in their thousands for the annual Boodles May Festival Ladies Day in 2024. A day where Best Dressed competitions were of paramount importance, top quality racing also took centre stage, the feature race coming at 3:40pm in the Ormonde Stakes (Group 3). Ground conditions stayed Good (Good To Firm in places) throughout.

Race 1 – CAA Stellar Handicap (Class 2, 4yo+, 5f)

Already a May Festival scorer in 2022, Democracy Dilemma (11/4F) again repeated the feat at the 2024 May Festival, delivered on the line by Tom Marquand to take home the spoils for trainer Robert Cowell in a thrilling finish to the opening race on Ladies Day. Smartly into stride and racing powerfully from the outset, Democracy Dilemma was glued to the inside rail through the opening couple of furlongs, racing prominently in behind leaders and previous course winners Night On Earth (11/1) and Copper Knight (12/1) as the field swung into the home straight at blistering speed. With very few challengers coming from the rear of the field, the leading trio broke clear of the remainder in the final furlong of the contest, Copper Knight now holding a narrow advantage as Democracy Dilemma came under pressure. However, as the winning post loomed, Marquand galvanised Democracy Dilemma enough to poke his nose in front, eventually holding off Copper Knight by a neck on the line with Vintage Clarets (8/1) a nose behind in third. No stranger to success on the Roodee, owner Mrs Fitri Hay also tasted victory in the 2015 Chester Cup with talented stayer No Heretic!

Race 2 – British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (Class 2, 2yo, 6f)

Fresh from a promising second place finish on debut, Teej A (4/1) proved to be yet another Karl Burke juvenile with a bright future in Race 2, readily seeing off her rivals in tidy style under Clifford Lee by 2 ¼ lengths. Positioned nicely in Stall 1, Teej A broke away impressively and travelled strongly through the opening three furlongs, racing a little keen behind front-running Irish raider Passing Phase (4/1) as market leader Rashabar (3/1F) settled in rear division. The only runner still firmly on the bridle passing the two-furlong marker, Teej A looked to be in prime position to strike up the inside rail, racing in the slipstream of Passing Phase as the field made their way for home. Finding the perfect gap, Teej A rapidly asserted in the final furlong of the contest, kicking clear up the rail to leave the remainder of the field trailing in her wake, with a staying-on Rashabar unable to bridge the gap in time, eventually settling for a comfortably beaten second place. Already a successful team, Lee and Burke also combined for Listed success at Newmarket last week with Derby hope Caviar Heights!

Race 3 – Halliwell Jones Handicap (Class 2, 3yo, 7 ½f)

Well-supported in the market and for good reason, Never So Brave (EvensF) showed a smart turn of foot in the home straight during Race 3, taking the contest in impressive style under Ryan Moore for his former boss and well-regarded trainer Sir Michael Stoute. Straight into a prominent position, Never So Brave settled into a nice rhythm under Ryan Moore through the first half mile of the contest, racing alongside previous Roodee scorer Witness Stand (22/1), the pair a couple of lengths behind early trailblazer Gunfighter (40/1) as the tempo increased around Castle Bend. Travelling much the best of the seven-runner field around the home turn, Never So Brave was a real eyecatcher under Ryan Moore, merely having to be nudged into a challenging position with just over a furlong to go. Quickening away smartly passing the furlong marker, Never So Brave was soon in a league of his own out in front, putting the race to bed in a matter of strides with Witness Stand finishing 2 lengths behind in second place. A familiar sight, Ryan Moore also carried the Saeed Suhail silks to victory for Sir Michael Stoute at Chester in the 2016 Huxley Stakes aboard Cannock Chase!

Race 4 – Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1, 3yo, 1m 2 ½f)

Equalling the record set by Barry Hills with eleven wins in the Dee Stakes, Aidan O’Brien unearthed another fascinating Derby type when Capulet (7/2) stayed on strongly to claim the 2024 running, ridden out to make sure by Ryan Moore in another eye-catching finish on the Roodee. The field now reduced to just four participants after Harper’s Ferry refused to enter the stalls, Ryan Moore seized the initiative aboard Capulet through the opening couple of furlongs, holding a narrow advantage in the early stages ahead of leading fancy Jayarebe (7/4F), with Bracken’s Laugh (11/2) and God’s Window (100/30) completing the quartet a length behind the leaders. Nudged along passing the three-furlong marker, Capulet maintained control around the home turn, Ryan Moore biding his time aboard the Ballydoyle inmate before kicking for home upon entering the straight. Strongly ridden into the final furlong of the race, Capulet showed true grit and determination to hold onto his lead in the closing stages, fending off a late rally from Bracken’s Laugh in the shadows of the post to provide Ryan Moore with his seventh victory in the race since Magician in 2017 – also trained by O’Brien!

Race 5 – tote.co.uk Supporting Racing Ormonde Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1, 4yo+, 1m 5 ½f)

Riding the crest of a wave, Ryan Moore secured his third winner in a row in the feature race of the day, merely having to steer home last year’s Huxley Stakes winner Point Lonsdale (13/8F) to claim Group 3 honours by 6 ½ lengths, once again for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Kept up to his work throughout, Point Lonsdale lobbed along at his own pace in for the majority of the contest, Ryan Moore always slightly nudging his mount along to keep up with early pacesetter Deauville Legend (6/1). Racing a length in front of last year’s Chester Vase winner Arrest (11/4), Point Lonsdale came under a firmer ride with three furlongs to go, gradually getting on terms with Deauville Legend as the pair pulled a couple of lengths clear around the home turn. In full flight upon entering the straight, Point Lonsdale showed his true class in the final furlong and a half, steadily pulling further and further clear in the closing stages to record a most impressive victory. Another record secured; this victory saw Aidan O’Brien equal Sir Michael Stoute’s record of six winners in the Ormonde!

Race 6 – Precision Facades Handicap (Class 3, 4yo+, 1m 2 ½f)

Showing real improvement on his seasonal debut, the Michael Bell trained Tony Montana (8/1) ran on gamely under a powerful ride from David Egan to secure victory in the penultimate race of the afternoon. Always to the fore, Tony Montana was content to race on the rail in third place through the opening mile of the sixth race, sitting a length off early leader Loyal Touch (9/1) for the most part, with market leader Inspiritus (7/2F) and three-time course winner Baryshnikov (9/1) further back in the field. A race in which very few made inroads on the leaders, Tony Montana was switched to the outside of Loyal Touch with just under two furlongs left to negotiate, ridden strongly to make his challenge down the centre of the course as the pair kicked clear of Crystal Mariner (4/1). Despite both leaders being unwilling to surrender the advantage, the battle was eventually won by Tony Montana, who stayed on in fine style in the final 50 yards to scrape home in front, holding off Loyal Touch by ½ a length. Already successful in the Lincoln Handicap aboard Mr Professor in April, David Egan is in for an exciting season ahead as the new retained jockey for Amo Racing Limited!

Race 7 – Camden Town Brewery Handicap (Class 4, 3yo, 1m 4 ½f)

Backed into favouritism shortly before the off, Fouroneohfever (85/40F) rewarded his supporters in gritty fashion in the final race of the day, holding on by ¾ of a length to score for trainer George Boughey, providing William Buick with his third winner of the week. Away smoothly from Stall 4, Fouroneohfever was never too far away from the pace in Race 7, following market rival and early leader Arch Legend (11/4) closely through the opening mile, with the well-punted Contacto (100/30) racing towards the tail end of the nine-runner field under Oisin Murphy. Barely coming off the bridle, Fouroneohfever sauntered into a challenging position with three furlongs to go, Arch Legend holding onto a slender lead as he guided the field around Castle Bend for the final time. Taking over at the head of affairs, Fouroneohfever took the race by the scruff of the neck in the home straight, gamely kicking on as User Amistoso (17/2) moved into a threatening position. Fighting on tenaciously despite facing challenges either side, Fouroneohfever proved just too strong for his rivals at the business end, willingly pulling out more in the final 50 yards to score; what a week for William Buick!

Race report by Adam Perkins