Chester racing tips: James Boyle's best bets for Day Two at the May Meeting

Horse racing tips today:

• 13:30 Chester – Michaela’s Boy – 1pt @ 9/1 with BetVictor
• 15:40 Chester – L’Astronome – 1pt @ 50/1 with Bet365
• 16:10 Chester – Al Rufaa – 1pt @ 20/1 with William Hill

For today's horse racing tips, our analyst James Boyle looks at the flat racing meeting at Chester with three selections online.

As always, you’ll find up-to-date odds at the bookmakers, but our tipster’s predictions are researched early in the day and those prices could soon be moved in by the betting public. 

Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing, but check out today's racecards for all the latest movements. 

13:30 Chester – Michaela’s Boy – 1pt @ 9/1

This will be fast and furious, and Michaela’s Boy has no shortage of pace. It was on display for his comeback run at Musselburgh but he didn’t have a good draw and looked anything other than fit, eventually weakening to finish towards the rear of the field.

It’s never a positive to see a performance like that but he’s down 4lbs as a result and runs off 90. That’s a half-stone below his narrow second in the Rockingham at the Curragh last July and there’s no doubt he will be weighted to do something meaningful when he’s back in good form.

He’s yet to run at Chester and was pulled out due to the ground last season, but looks every inch a horse who’ll love racing here and if he can get into a good position early on, and stay within his comfort zone, I think we’ll see an improved effort. A tongue-tie going on could be a help as well.

Of the remainder, I think Roman Dragon has a tough mark but he is drawn nicely and loves it here, albeit over a furlong further. Democracy Dilemma is rapid but all wins have come in a visor and his mark isn’t simple. If the pace collapses completely, Vintage Clarets has a chance.

15:40 Chester – L’Astronome – 1pt @ 50/1

L’Astronome should have little chance of winning this based on ratings but the top three in the betting can hardly be considered certainties to run up to their marks. If they don’t, he wouldn’t have much to find on his peak runs and one of those did come at this track last September.

He couldn’t muster the pace to catch up with Al Quareem that day but was only beaten a couple of lengths at the line on what was his first run for Hugo Palmer. His outings since were poor but he looked to be a non-stayer when returning in a handicap at Newbury a few weeks back.

Dropping in trip should help, coming back here may also spark a revival and he’s bound to be fitter for that recent run as well. Again, I have no idea whether he can muster a performance to even threaten an involvement but 50/1 about it happening is fair and they may ride him more aggressively.

16:10 Chester – Al Rufaa – 1pt @ 20/1

Al Rufaa was a single-figured price earlier and is now a 20/1 shot in places. He isn’t the easiest ride in the world so I can understand why punters would be leaving him alone but quite whether he should be available at this sort of price, I wouldn’t be so certain. It looks very generous.

He didn’t perform too well when behind Inspiritus at Lingfield on Finals Day but was ridden cold and only had the inside of the track to operate on when in the straight. That’s rarely ever the place to be, especially when coming from the back, and he simply never had a chance.

Before that, he had run a cracking race over the extended 1m 1f at Wolverhampton and seems happiest away from Lingfield. He has untapped potential over this sort of distance, which he should stay well if he relaxes, and he’ll enjoy the ground. With luck in-running, he’s not a 20/1 chance.

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