The White Oak UK Friday Social

A mixture of tight finishes and smart rides proved to be the main storylines during the 2025 Friday Social at Chester Racecourse. The feature race arrived in the form of the White Oak UK Business Finance Selling Stakes, on a day where sunny weather left the going Good.

Race 1 – HRS Cladding Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap (Special Rider Conditions) (Class 4, 4yo+, 7f)

Swapping jumps for the flat, Grand National-winning jockey Patrick Mullins gave Profit Refused (3/1F) a peach of a ride to take the first race, edging home by a neck to score for trainer Ollie Sangster. Breaking well from the inside stall, Profit Refused set a good clip at the head of affairs through the opening half mile, leading narrowly from Wobwobwob (7/2) as last year’s winner Outrun The Storm (6/1) raced in midfield. Rounding the turn with a couple of furlongs to go, Profit Refused travelled strongly under Patrick Mullins, booted forward into the straight. Now in the clear and relishing every yard, Profit Refused set sail in the final furlong, staying on strongly towards the line to hold off a fast finishing Outrun The Storm in second place. A trainer making a real name for himself, Ollie Sangster won two Group races with star filly Simmering last year!

Race 2 – TMT Group Handicap (Class 5, 3yo, 6f)

In another tight finish, Arabian Cobra (8/1) came out on top to take the second race under young Billy Loughnane, keeping on well by a neck for the Hugo Palmer stable. Unable to gain a more prominent position coming out of Stall 11, Loughnane had to settle Arabian Cobra in midfield through the early stages, racing alongside Dream Out Loud (4/1) as Rock N Roll Rocket (14/1) led the way. Nudged along but making headway around the home turn, Arabian Cobra darted to the inside rail with just over a furlong to race, sitting just behind Top Juggler (11/2) as Rock N Roll Rocket began to paddle. Switching to the inside of the leader passing the half-furlong pole, Arabian Cobra made the best of his way home in the closing stages, doing just enough to cling on to victory ahead of an unlucky Dream Out Loud. Taking the flat racing scene by storm, Billy Loughnane has already ridden over 380 winners since his debut in 2022!

Race 3 – White Oak UK Business Finance Selling Stakes (Class 4, 2yo, 7f)

Battling on well to steal victory, Strength Of Spirit (17/2) ran out a game winner of the third race for Karl Burke, another to hold on by just a neck under a well-timed ride, this time with Sam James in the saddle. Trapped in rear division for much of the contest, Strength Of Spirit had it all to do by the time Ubetterseethis (6/1) led the field towards the two-furlong marker, still around eight lengths behind the leader and with limited room to manoeuvre up the inside rail. With Ubetterseethis seemingly away and gone at the furlong pole, one could be forgiven for thinking it was all over. However, catching the eye looking for room in behind, Strength Of Spirit finished with a rare rattle in the closing stages, sneaking in front shortly before the line to deny all comers. Selling for £42,000 in the ring afterwards, Strength Of Spirit looks one to follow!

Race 4 – Deepbridge Capital Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 4, 3yo, 1m 2 ½f)

Recording a second course victory in a row, Topteam (2/1F) was all heart under PJ McDonald in the fourth race, staying on stoutly in the final furlong to score by a head for trainer Andrew Balding. Keen to lead from the outset, PJ McDonald dictated a solid tempo aboard Topteam through the opening mile, holding sway from Magellan Cloud (7/2) and Marhaba Ghaiyyath (8/1) out wide as the home straight loomed. Cornering well and stealing an extra couple of lengths on his rivals, Topteam looked likely to have it all his own way in the final two furlongs. However, facing a challenge from Marhaba Ghaiyyath a furlong out, Topteam had to pull out all the stops to see out victory in the end, ridden along firmly but always doing enough towards the finish. A good start to the season for PJ McDonald, the uber-experienced pilot recently took Listed honours aboard Secret Hideaway in the Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes!

Race 5 – White Oak UK Business Finance Handicap (Div I) (Class 5, 4yo+, 7 ½f)

Once again stealing a race from the front, PJ McDonald brought up a quickfire double in Race 5, guiding home Style Of Life (17/2) by a comfortable 2 lengths for the Harriet Bethell stable. Breaking well and managing to get across from a wide opening, Style Of Life soon adopted pace-making duties, leading the way narrowly from G’Daay (14/1) and Supernova Steps (16/1), with Commander Of Life (9/2) not far away in fourth place. Travelling notably well around Castle Bend, Style Of Life was booted clear by McDonald with a couple of furlongs to go, his rivals now firmly under the pump. Running on gamely, it was all plain sailing in the final furlong for Style Of Life, going on to record a comfortable fourth victory under rules. No stranger to winners at Chester, Bethell’s Yanifer has also scored twice on the Roodee in recent years!

Race 6 – White Oak UK Business Finance Handicap (Div II) (Class 5, 4yo+, 7 ½f)

Justifying strong market support, Vixey (15/8F) quickened away impressively to take the sixth race of the day, returning a tidy 1 ¾-length winner for jockey Aiden Brookes and trainer Simon West. Travelling strongly for much of the way, Vixey raced prominently from a very early stage, sitting behind Jack Daniel (11/1) as Alcazan (22/1) aimed to make all out in front. Apparently full of running around the turn into the straight, Vixey soon caught the eye with a quarter mile to race, switching to the outside of Jack Daniel as the winning post came into view. Staying on readily now ridden along more firmly, Vixey had the race settled in a matter of strides, kicking clear a furlong out and gamely seeing out a stylish victory. A real stable star for connections, this marked a third victory of the year for Vixey, taking him to over £24K in earnings for the season!

Race 7 – Going Is Good Handicap (Class 4, 3yo, 7 ½f)

Benefitting from a masterful ride, Impartiality (4/1) saved the best performance for the finale, steered home by 2 ¼ lengths under Kevin Stott for trainer Phillip Makin. Sticking to the inside rail after being short of room, Impartiality had a lot of work to do in the opening stages, still racing around eight lengths behind leader Arbitration (5/1) with three furlongs to go. On the bridle but stuck behind a wall of horses, Impartiality looked like being yet another hard luck story on the Roodee around the home turn. However, after the wonderfully patient Kevin Stott was finally gifted the gap he’d been waiting for, Impartiality was sent to the front a furlong out, kicking on strongly before going on to score impressively. A top jockey in his former career, Phillip Makin once rode Doncaster Rover to victory here in the 2009 Chester Queensferry Stakes (Listed)!

Race report by Adam Perkins