By Callum Close
The 2025/26 flat season is underway, and this week sees Britain’s oldest racecourse reopen its doors for its renowned three-day event – the Boodles May Festival.
Horses and trainers – with the ability of the highest calibre – will descend upon Cheshire for an action-packed three days, as Chester racecourse hosts its seasonal opener.
Each of the three days boasts a feature race, and day one’s is the Chester Vase.
This Group 3 contest will see three-year-old colts and geldings embark on 1.5 miles of the iconic course and battle for prize money totalling £140,000.
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Aidan O’Brien
The race serves as a trial for the Epsom Derby, though its last Derby-winning participant was the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wings of Eagles in 2017.
After finishing second to stablemate Venice Beach in the Vase, he belied his 40/1 odds and won his trainer’s sixth Epsom Derby.
This year’s renewal sees O’Brien look to train his 11th winner of the race and according to the betting, his best chance lies with ante-post favourite Lambourn – currently 2/1 to win what will be his first race in Britain.
The colt has won two of his four races – including a French-listed contest – and on his reappearance in March, he was second to stablemate and Derby-fancy Delacroix at Leopardstown.
He holds a Derby entry and will be ridden by the ever-present stable jockey Ryan Moore – going for his third Chester Vase.
With Godolphin not represented in the race, last year’s winning jockey William Buick will ride the 8/1 shot Thrice, thus completing a duo of runners for the race’s leading trainer.
Ralph Beckett
Ralph Beckett is double-handed in the race as he looks to train his first winner.
French-listed winner Square D’Alboni and Juddmonte-owned Pinhole are next in the betting at 4/1 and 9/2, respectively.
The former has won two of his three British races and won a French listed race on his most-recent start in October, whilst the latter holds a Derby entry after winning on Southwell’s all-weather track, in December.
His only other run was at Newmarket, where he finished fifth on his debut.
Other winning chances
Elsewhere in the betting, the undefeated Convergent will look to earn Northern-based trainer Karl Burke his first win in the race.
Trading at 11/2, the colt has won both his races at the same track (Redcar) and holds an entry into the Dante Stakes, at York.
Trainer Andrew Balding is looking for his second winner in the race, after Youth Spirit in 2021.
Furthur (8/1) is his only runner and he reappeared last month with a win in a Class 2 Maiden, at Newbury.
TV Coverage
The Chester Vase will be shown live and for free on terrestrial TV, via ITV 4, and on Sky Sports Racing (channel 415) for Sky Sports subscribers.
It is the fourth race of seven on the card, beginning at 3:05pm UK time, and follows the running of the Cheshire Oaks, another Class 1 contest.
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