Chester Boodles May Festival: Five to consider this week on the Roodee – watch every race on Sky Sports Racing | Racing News

Action returns to The Roodee on Wednesday with the highly-anticipated Chester Boodles May Festival – here’s five horses worth keeping an eye on over the three-day meeting at the Cheshire track.

Above The Curve – Cheshire Oaks (2:40 Weds)

An impressive Leopardstown winner last time out, Above The Curve could well provide Joseph O’Brien with another big-race success following State Of Rest’s Group One glory in Paris on Sunday.

The three-year-old filly reopposes Thoughts Of June from his father Aidan’s yard, having got the better of her last time out.

More interesting is the unbeaten duo of Night Battle and Hello Jumeriah, but they will have to improve to get to the level Above The Curve has set on the track to date.

New London – Chester Vase (3:10 Weds)

One that has been very well-backed for the Derby in recent days, New London could be another Group One horse off the seemingly ever-expanding Godolphin and Charlie Appleby conveyor belt.

He faces just three opponents on Wednesday and is a likely odds-on favourite, but with Derby contenders currently quite thin on the ground, he looks the biggest threat to 2000 Guineas third Luxembourg at this stage.

Aidan O’Brien sends Changingoftheguard over from Ireland, but looks a touch more exposed alongside the other two rivals in the race who will need to improve to match the form of New London.

Mr McCann – Dee Stakes (2:40 Thurs)

A three-time winner as a two-year-old, Mr McCann would be a popular winner for Liverpool fans, with the horse owned by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and James Milner.

He is trained by incoming Manor House Stables handler Hugo Palmer, who will be keen to have a winner on the Roodee after moving from his base in Newmarket to train for Michael Owen.

The horse looks to have a bit to find on paper, but could well improve on seasonal reappearance.

Albaflora – Ormonde Stakes (3:10 Thurs)

Arguably the class act across the three-day meeting, Albaflora will be a hot favourite to land the Ormonde Stakes for Rossa Ryan and Ralph Beckett.

Having been agonisingly pipped at Group One level at Ascot on Champions Day, she makes her seasonal reappearance at Chester and although loftier targets will be in the waiting, it will take a good one to get past her you suspect.

Hamish and Alounak head up the main dangers.

Falcon Eight – Chester Cup (3:15 Friday)

Winner of the race last year for Frankie Dettori and Dermot Weld, it would be a dream victory if they could go back-to-back in the feature staying event of the meeting.

It would be a superb weight-carrying effort off a handicap mark of 109, but the horse is fit from racing over hurdles earlier this year.

As always in this race, a bit of luck is required, but he has all the tools to run a big race for the Weld team.

Watch every race from the Chester Boodles May Festival on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 535) from Wednesday 3 May.