Boodles May Festival Trials Day 2026

Racing Reports

6 May 2026

Back underway for 2026, the opening day of the Boodles May Festival ensured plenty of notebooks were filled, with some eye-catching Epsom hopefuls taking centre stage. Ground conditions remained Good throughout the afternoon.

Race report by Adam Perkins.

1:30 pm

THE CAA STELLAR LILY AGNES EBF CONDITIONS STAKES

Extending his unbeaten run to three, Adonius (100/30) ran out a taking winner of the opening race, making all under Kaiya Fraser to score by 1 ¼ lengths. Drawn perfectly on the inside rail, Adonius broke sharply and soon set a blistering pace up front, pestered all the time by Final Appeal (5/1). Still travelling well around the home turn, Adonius was soon booted clear upon entering the straight, maintaining his lead in determined style to provide trainer Rebecca Menzies with her tenth flat winner of the 2026 season!

Results

Winner
Name: Adonius (1)
Owner: Mr Michael Hughes
Prize: £50,000
Trainer: Rebecca Menzies
Jockey: Kaiya Fraser

The Race
Distance: 5f 15y
Prize: £50,000
Class: 2

Runners
Runners: 7
Non-Runners: 1

2:05 pm

THE JOIN LADBROKES BET 5 GET 30 EARL GROSVENOR HANDICAP STAKES

A fine fifth at Royal Ascot last year, Supido (15/2) bounced back to form with a gritty victory in Race 2, holding on by half a length to score for Billy Loughnane and Ian Williams. Racing in the vanguard for much of the contest, Supido travelled smoothly along the running rail, tracked in behind by market leader Snow Master (6/4F) as Percy’s Lad (11/1) led them home. Waiting patiently for a gap, Supido was sent to the front around a furlong out, and despite a strong late surge from Snow Master, the leader had enough in the tank to provide Ian Williams with his 32nd winner of the year!

Results

Winner
Name: Supido (11)
Owner: Bell, Lyons & James
Prize: £50,000
Trainer: Ian Williams
Jockey: Billy Loughnane

The Race
Distance: 7f 127y
Prize: £50,000
Class: 2

Runners
Runners: 14

2:35 pm

THE WEATHERBYS CHESHIRE OAKS

Picking up where they left off in 2025, Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien were once again on the scoresheet at the May Festival, this time with smart filly Amelia Earheart (13/8), a taking 2-length winner of Race 3. Tracking stablemate Sugar Island (7/1) for a long way, Amelia Earheart was kept relatively quiet by Moore through the opening mile, only nudging his mount to close on the leader as they entered the final quarter. Swinging into the straight and finding a gap almost immediately, Amelia Earheart soon flew away once in the clear, soaring home to notch a tenth Cheshire Oaks for Aidan O’Brien!

Results

Winner
Name: Amelia Earhart (3)
Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith
Prize: £120,000
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore

The Race
Distance: 1m 3f 75y
Prize: £120,000
Class: 1

Runners
Runners: 5

3:05 pm

THE BOODLES CHESTER VASE STAKES

Not resting on their laurels, Moore & O’Brien were at it again in the fourth race when Benvenuto Cellini (2/9F) marked himself as a real Derby contender with a stylish 4 ¼ length victory. Allowing stablemate Proposition (14/1) to set the pace, Benvenuto Cellini raced in third place throughout Race 4, sitting around 10 lengths behind the leader as the field entered the final half mile. Making eye-catching progress around Castle Bend, Benvenuto Cellini soon put the race to bed, taking over after the cutaway and extending clear in fine style to record a 12th Chester Vase victory for the trainer!

Results

Winner
Name: Benvenuto Cellini (1)
Owner: Brant/Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg
Prize: £145,000
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore

The Race
Distance: 1m 4f 63y
Prize: £145,000
Class: 1

Runners
Runners: 5
Non-Runners: 2

3:40 pm

THE AMERICAN HOLIDAYS HANDICAP STAKES

Springing a surprise on handicap debut, Cherry Baker (25/1) pulled out all the stops to land the spoils in the fifth race, coming from last to first to score by a length for Cieren Fallon and James Owen. Slowly away, it didn’t look too promising for Cherry Baker in the early stages, racing in a share of last place as Ruby’s Angel (5/1) led them around the home turn. However, finding some timely gaps up the inside rail, things fell nicely into place for Cherry Baker down the home straight, the 3-year-old filly staying on strongly to wear down Ruby’s Angel and provide The Gredley Family with another win on the Roodee, 12 months on from taking the Chester Cup with East India Dock!

Results

Winner
Name: Cherry Baker (12)
Owner: The Gredley Family
Prize: £30,000
Trainer: James Owen
Jockey: Cieren Fallon

The Race
Distance: 6f 17y
Prize: £30,000
Class: 3

Runners
Runners: 12
Non-Runners: 2

4:10 pm

THE TMT GROUP MAIDEN STAKES

Making the long trip from Newmarket all the sweeter, Tornado Tower (13/8) came home a stylish winner of the fifth race for John & Thady Gosden, keeping on well to score by 2 lengths under James Doyle. Eyeballing market leader Arabian Desert (8/11F) from the outset, Tornado Tower was keen to keep things moving at the head of a tightly grouped field. Kicking a couple of lengths clear off the final bend, Tornado Tower soon scuttled away, staying on nicely to land a nice winner for Wathnan Racing. A team always to be feared, the same owner/trainer/jockey combo recently took a Group 3 with Damysus!

Results

Winner
Name: Tornado Tower (7)
Owner: Wathnan Racing
Prize: £25,000
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Jockey: James Doyle

The Race
Distance: 1m 2f 70y
Prize: £25,000
Class: 3

Runners
Runners: 6
Non-Runners: 1

4:45 pm

THE ROODEE HANDICAP STAKES

Leading Trainer here last year, Andrew Balding got off the mark for 2026 when Dance In The Storm (5/2F) edged home by half a length in the finale, guided home by Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy. Racing out wide for much of the way, Dance In The Storm looked to be a real handful for his rider, travelling keenly on the bridle as Sujet (7/1) led the way into the final quarter mile. However, showing a remarkable turn of foot, Dance In The Storm stayed on powerfully down the centre of the track, taking charge around 100 yards out to score for Jeff Smith, who also owns four-time course winner Spirit Mixer!

Results

Winner
Name: Dance In The Storm (1)
Owner: Mr J. C. Smith
Prize: £25,000
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

The Race
Distance: 7f 1y
Prize: £25,000
Class: 3

Runners
Runners: 14

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