Chester May Festival 2025 day two: Mount Kilimanjaro can win the Dee Stakes
O'Brien drew level with Barry Hills on 11 victories in the Dee Stakes last year with the victory of Capulet and a similar type Mount Kilimanjaro can progress from his first five starts to triumph and hint at an even better in future. The son of Siyouni out of a Galileo mare has won once in those five starts when landing Arqana Series – Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Autome Stakes at ParisLongchamp in October before finishing second to his smart stable-mate Twain in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last that month. Both those were over a mile and Mount Kilimanjaro was third over the same distance on his seasonal return at Dundalk in March.
He looks ready for a step up in trip and it should bring out the required improvement to enhance his Classic aspirations. Although the Dee Stakes has thrown up some decent performers, not least those trained by O'Brien, no horse has won the extended 1m2f contest on the Roodee and gone on to Derby glory at Epsom since Sir Michael Stoute's Kris Kin in 2003 and Oath four years earlier.
READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025: Lambourn wins the Chester Vase to book Derby ticket
READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day one: Lambourn can win the Chester Vase
O'Brien stable-mate ILLINOIS can bring up a big-race double in the Group Three Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes (3.05pm) and book a trip to next month's Royal Ascot. The four-year-old son of Galileo won at the Royal meeting last year when taking the Group Two Queen's Vase and was also second to stable-mate Jan Brueghel in St Leger at Doncaster in September. Illinois also scored in the Group Two Prix du Chaudenay over 1m7f on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp the following month.
A powerful traveller, he stays well and this looks an ideal starting point for a campaign at distances from 1m4f to two miles. He can triumph and give O'Brien a record-breaking seventh victory in the extended 1m5f contest before heading to Royal Ascot or even the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby weekend.
ROSENPUR has been in good form on the all-weather tracks recently and can transfer that back on Turf with victory in the CAA Stellar Handicap (1.30pm). The Jennie Candlish-trained five-year-old has been third, second and then first in his three starts since March, all at Wolverhampton. The prominent racer made all on that latest win at the end of last month and with a good draw in stall two may be able to do something similar despite being out of the handicap in a tougher contest. Course and distance winner Copper Knight is well drawn in stall three and Fair Taxes – from the plum draw in one – rate big dangers to the selection.
Trainer Hugo Palmer – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former England and Liverpool FC forward Michael Owen – targets this meeting at the yard's local track and newcomer TRICKY TEL, who is drawn in stall two, may be able to make a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (2.05pm).
OUR MIGHTY MO can build on his comeback fourth at Musselburgh to go a few places better in the Louise Keegan Handicap (3.40pm). Trained by Liverpool FC fan Karl Burke in North Yorkshire, the three-year-old won two of his nine starts as a juvenile including at Haydock Park last September. Having been gelded over the winter, he had a troublesome passage at Musselburgh and did well to finish fourth behind Thunder Wonder on his return. He should be fit and ready for this and may be able to return to winning ways.
David Easterby's AUSTRAIN THEORY can win the Halliwell Jones Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.10pm). The six-year-old won over this sort of distance at Pontefract last October, having run well over distances around a mile for much of the campaign. Over the shorter distance he made a pleasing return to action when second, a length behind Classic Encounter, in a handicap at Redcar at the start of last month. With that run under his belt he can go one better and triumph.
Charlie Johnston's SPIRIT OF JURA has also been in fine form on the all-weather and can transfer that on her first start back on Turf since her debut to win the Oxford Natural Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.45pm). The three-year-old daughter of Masar has won three of her last four starts at Chelmsford City and twice at Southwell. Those last two were over 1m3f and she steps up again slightly in distance to 1m4f. Her sire Masar won the Derby over that distance in 2018, so she should improve again for it and can land a first victory on the grass.
Wright Ones
CHESTER MAY FESTIVAL 2025 (Day Two)
1.30pm Rosenpur
2.05pm Tricky Tel
2.35pm Mount Kilimanjaro
3.05pm Illinois
3.40pm Our Mighty Mo (NAP)
4.10pm Austrian Theory
4.45pm Spirit Of Jura
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