Benvenuto Cellini Faces Six Rivals in Chester Vase — Chester Races
Benvenuto Cellini opens his three-year-old campaign at chester races on Wednesday, when the Derby favourite faces six rivals in the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes. The extended twelve-furlong trip at Chester is a direct step on the road to Epsom, and Aidan O'Brien sends his colt there after a Group 2 win at Leopardstown in September.
Benvenuto Cellini At Chester
The colt was sent off favourite for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last month and finished third, so this run asks a different question over a longer distance. Ryan Moore takes the ride, and his 53 per cent strike rate on the Roodee since 2021 gives the stable a strong hand in a race that has produced Derby clues before.
Del Maro is the main alternative from the Godolphin yard. He was placed on all four starts as a two-year-old and broke his maiden at Yarmouth last month when sent off an odds-on favourite, while Proposition comes in with first-time cheekpieces and Wayne Lordan aboard.
Del Maro And Proposition
Richard and Peter Fahey saddle Mr Colonel, Jessica Harrington runs Mr Vettori, and Royal Standard is the outsider for Andrew Balding. That gives the Chester Vase a mixed field around the favourite, with each runner bringing a different level of proven form into the same Derby trial.
The race matters because it is one of the clearest routes from Chester to Epsom, and Wednesday's result will sort the leading three-year-olds on an extended twelve-furlong test rather than on hype. Benvenuto Cellini has already shown Group 2 ability; the question now is whether he can turn that into a stronger Derby claim against rivals who arrive with recent wins, consistent placings, or both.
Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks
Chester's card also includes a select field of five for the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks. I'm The One is the 7/2 favourite after winning on debut at Newbury last month, while Aidan O'Brien also runs Amelia Earhart, who won at Leopardstown in October after five starts and is the 8/1 second favourite for the Oaks in June.
Ralph Beckett and James Doyle combine with A La Prochaine, a 550,000gns yearling who won on her sole racecourse appearance at Newbury in October. Sugar Island, meanwhile, arrives off a Group 3 success at the Curragh to give Wayne Lordan another ride in a race that should sharpen the Oaks picture alongside the Chester Vase.
