SAN ANTONIO can give Aidan O'Brien another victory in the Boodles Dee Stakes (2.40pm) on second day of the Boodles Chester May Festival. While stable-mate CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD – a winner at last year's May Festival – can provide the Irish trainer with a big-race double in the Group Three feature on the Roodoo, the tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Ormonde Stakes (3.15pm).
The Ballydoyle handler has won the Dee Stakes 10 times in the past, including last year with Star Of India, and Antonio can provide him with an 11th victory and see him equal Barry Hills' record haul. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee the three-year-old son of Dubawi may book his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. San Antonio has been lightly raced and won on only his third start at Dundalk in March. Stepped up to an extended 1m2f for the first time, San Antonio was ridden fairly prominently and comfortably held stable-mate Cape Bridgewater to open his account. He is clearly progressing with the step up in trip and there should be plenty more improvement to come. Whether he can go and be a major factor at Epsom is debatable, but he can at least get a chance to go there with victory ahead of fellow Irish raider, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Alder.
Changingoftheguard won the Chester Vase over 1m4f on the Roodee last season, before coming home fifth in the Derby behind Desert Crown. He led for much of the way in both that success at Chester and in the Derby. He bounced back from Derby defeat with a fine victory in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot but hasn't been seen on the track since. He should still be improving after just seven career starts and this step up in trip to nearly 1m6f should be well within his grasp. He can return to action with victory in the Ormonde Stakes ahead of chiefly last year's winner, the William Haggas-trained Hamish.
