Chester May Festival: O'Brien hot shots plus an 8-1 handicap fancy The Chester May Festival begins on Tuesday with huge Irish interest as trainer Aidan O’Brien once again targets this meeting with his Classic hopes. The 2025 English and Irish Derby and Oaks winners Lambourn and Minnie Hauk, scored on this card last year. On Tuesday, O’Brien saddles Amelia Earhart in the Cheshire Oaks and Benvenuto Cellini in the Chester Vase. Johnny Ward was joined by Stephen Harris to preview the big races and see below an 8-1 fancy in the fiercely competitive handicap at 2.05pm. Watch the full show for tips in the big races. Get 80 euro in free bets to spend with BOYLE Sports Stephen Harris I actually fancy one in the race called Divine Libra, who comes from another yard that I try to avoid like the plague, Charlie Hills, to be honest. I remember his dad Barry used to be a brilliantly shrewd plotter of horses, but without being impolite, I don't think they're quite the force of old or have the horses they used to have. But Divine Libra is a Chester specialist. He's six now, fully exposed, I thought he ran okay the other day, and that was in that handicap won by Double Rush. If you remember, they put the crown jewels on at Newmarket and Double Rush bolted up, that was a Balding plot and Double Rush has won again since under a penalty. Divine Libra was slowly away under Buick and not knocked about, and he finished with running left. Every time he's run at Chester in his life, he's run well. He's won a couple of times over course and distance, and he ran a couple of screamers in hot races last season. So I thought Divine Libra at around 8-1 but you've got to shut your eyes because he'll be ridden from off the pace, but they should go a really good gallop in this big field. If Divine Libra sees daylight, I think he's probably a good each-way bet at around 8-1. Johnny Ward Divine Libra goes from gate nine, and just inside we have the likely favourite, Percy's Lad, who won the race two years ago and is a horse who was off the track from August to April. He had an okay return at newmarket but has been well backed as well. You can clearly see the angle, and this horse has come down to a mark of 90, he’s by the very good, versatile Derby winner Sir Percy. It’s a really intriguing race, but keep an eye out for City House. Now, I know Ado McGuinness, it's not his only runner at Chester, so he might kind of send the horse over but he's got down to a mark of 94 and it really wasn't that bad a run at Naas. Just watch the way he was staying on under his inexperienced rider last time. A really intriguing runner in that. Watch the full show for Cheshire Oaks and Chester Vase tips
