Friday racing tips: Best bets for the Chester May Festival

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It’s the final day of Chester’s May Festival with and ahead of Chester Cup day, I’ve been looking at the form and prices from the best betting sites when putting together my Friday racing tips.

A tough looking start to the day on the Roodeye but there looks to be a sporting each-way play on the cards in AULD TOON LOON.

Tom Dascombe trains the seven-year-old who has won four of his 23 starts. One of those came over C&D (soft) in 2023, when with David O’Meara.

After three abortive attempts over hurdles with Lucinda Russell, he then returned to this code with Dascombe, scoring on his first outing for the trainer at Bath (1m2f, soft).

Returning from a break, he was unlucky not to win this race last year when traffic issues saw him not get the breaks until late, when he rattled home to be a head second.

A couple of lesser efforts followed but he was back to his best when scoring at Windsor when last seen last August (1m2f, good to firm).

He acts on any ground and while he has a little bit still to prove from this 2lb higher mark, he’s certainly no worse than fairly treated on what he’s achieved and at a double-figure price on horse racing betting sites, we can back him each-way to four places (more, if you prefer).

Chester Tip 1: Auld Toon Loon – 1pt each-way @ 18/1 (William Hill)

Despite the presence of Bay City Roller, Royal Rhyme and King’s Gambit, who are all very good horses on their respective days, LAMBOURN has plenty going for him here and is selected.

Aidan O’Brien targets this meeting and its Group races in particular, year on year, and he’s saddled the winner of this race three times in the last eight seasons, all three being market leaders.

Lambourn holds that honour here and is favoured by the way the race is framed, as well as having course form (he won last year’s Chester Vase over slightly further on route to winning the Derby).

Having seen him step up unsuccessfully to 1m6½f in last year’s St Leger, I suppose those who think they can get him beaten may do so because he is dropping a fair bit in trip.

However, I think his prominent style of racing, his class and the application of cheekpieces for this should all still add up to him setting a good, honest gallop that his opponents may not be able to finish from. He goes well when fresh and I’m happy to side with him.

Chester Tip 2: Lambourn – 2pts win @ 7/4 (bet365)

It was hard to be anything other than impressed by the effort of MOON OVER MIAMI when he scored last spring at Newbury (2m, good), sticking on very gamely despite hanging to his right, when challenged by the second who had the run of the far rail.

On that evidence, he is well treated here from just 3lb higher. However, he didn’t run again last season and recently made a below par reappearance at Musselburgh (1m6f, soft).

He was ridden forward on that most recent start, perhaps not ideally, given that the first four came from off the pace and that he also might just have needed the run after such an absence.

He should be cherry ripe on that front this time. He’s unexposed at two miles and more and he’d be half his current price on betting apps had he run anything like he can on that return outing. He looks an each-way play in a very competitive race.

Chester Tip 3: Moon Over Miami – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 (bet365)

Yet another tough handicap puzzle to solve and there are plenty in here who’ll feel they have a chance, as it’s 13/2 the field as I write.

There is nothing more interesting in the field, however, than MIRACULOUS, one of two Tim Easterby-trained runners involved.

Its time honoured that Easterby inmates pop up at prices in these big field handicaps and this four-year-old may be another case in point. He’s a C&D winner for starters and we know that such a stat counts for more around here than at many tracks.

He did that last summer (good), when trained by Roger Varian but he couldn’t repeat that effort in five further starts before he changed hands.

The market didn’t suggest that there were any great expectations of him on his first outing for this yard at Catterick (6f, good) last month. However, a 2lb drop now sees him tackle a 0-80 for the first time.

On his best form he is well treated and on several pieces of last year’s form he is on a handy mark. I can see him running a big race from a midfield draw and he’s another we can side with each-way.

Chester Tip 4: Miraculous – 1pt each-way @ 12/1 (bet365)

Another hugely competitive contest where the suggestion is HAMSIYANN. Tony Martin’s six-year-old is hard to fancy on recent efforts but he’s been supported since the declarations were made and Oisin Murphy is a very interesting booking, given he’s been well beaten on his last two Flat starts, plus his most recent over hurdles at Aintree.

However, he’s only 1lb higher on the level than when runner-up to stable companion Alphonse Le Grande in this two years ago, the only previous time Murphy has had the ride.

Talk about putting two and two together but we can get involved to small stakes.

Chester Tip 5: Hamsiyann – 1pt win @ 6/1 (William Hill)

If you’re having a bet on Friday’s racing, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.

Betting can be addictive, and it’s important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you’re using online bookmakers, casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites or any other gambling platform.

Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.

Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help you stay in control.

Try not to get carried away by free bets or casino bonuses, which are widely available on gambling apps.

But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

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