Chester - day two

The popular Chester May meeting continues today, with two Group Three races as the main features. Looking tg the future, the more significant is undoubtedly the Chester Vase for 3yo colts over 1 /2 miles at 15.45 CET, the first of a series of major Derby trials to be held in the next few days. Two winners in recent years hae gone on to score at Epsom, while last year´s winner Soldier of Fortune went on to take the Irish Derby. He was trained by Aidan O´Brien, who has two entered this time, Vivaldi (Johnny Murtagh) and Wassily Kandinsky (David McCabe), who is presumably entered as a pacemaker. With O´Brien´s 3y´s in such god form - including here yesterd - Vivaldi must be respected, but on the form book he faces a tough task against some colkts who are rated much higher, including Barry Hills´ Feared in Flight (Jamie Spencer), third in the Racing Post Trophy, Sir Michael Stoute´s Doctor Fremantle (Ryan Moore), first or second all four starts so far, as well as John Gosden´s Pampas Cat (Jimmy Fortune), an impressive Newmarket winner on his only run to date. Certainly the most popular winner of the day would be Stoute´s Maraahel (Richard Hills), who attempts to win the Huxley Stakes for older horses over 10 furlongs at 15.15 for the fourth year running. If he finishes first or second here, he will bring his career winnings up to over a million pounds, a deserved reward for many excellent performances. However he will not be gifted the race, as Henry Cecil´s Multidimensional looks very dangerous in receipt of 5 pounds. Last time out he looked a bit unlucky when fourth in similar company at Newmarket, with Stotsfold (Walter Swinburn/ Adam Kirby), a CD specialist, just behind. Championship Point (Mick Channon/ Darryll Holland) also hasb possibilities, although both he and Maraahel were well behind Multidimensional in last year´s Champion Stakes.