Boodles Chester May Festival Day 2 Tips: Kilimanjaro can reach his peak

There are six meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland on Thursday, including the second day of Chester's May Festival.

I've landed on three Boodles Chester May Festival Day 2 tips, including an Aidan O’Brien-trained runner who should thrive now going up in trip.

14:35 - Mount Kilimanjaro @ 11/10

Legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien has won seven of the last 10 renewals of the Dee Stakes and he has two bites of the cherry this time around.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO makes the most appeal on his two-year-old form and could be the one to side with.

He got off the mark with a comfortable win at Longchamp on Arc weekend in October and there was plenty to like about that performance. Always prominent, the race was put to bed once he hit the front and he kept on well to score by a length and three-quarters.

Connections then decided to throw him into the Group 1 Criterium International and he stayed on well once again to finish second behind stablemate Twain and was well clear of the third.

The son of Siyouni looked badly in need of the run when beaten at very skinny odds on his seasonal debut at Dundalk in March, but he should be much sharper this time around. Going up to an extended 1m2f should be a massive help and a return to winning ways is anticipated.

15:05 - Absurde @ 7/4

Illinois represents the O’Brien yard here, but he’s likely to need the run so it’s fellow Irish raider ABSURDE who gets the nod here.

Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old is a very smart performer across both codes and fitness won’t be an issue for him.

He was last seen winning the Sussex Champion Hurdle at Plumpton in very good style and ran a cracker to finish third in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival before that. Rated 110 on the Flat, he was a Listed winner over a furlong further here last season.

Perhaps his best piece of form in this sphere is his close-up fifth in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November. Mullins’ gelding was slightly impeded at a key stage there and may well have finished closer with some better luck in running.

The only slight concern would be that the trip is sharp enough for him these days, but he has a fitness advantage over Illinois and might just about get away with it. Dual Guineas-winning jockey William Buick takes the ride and he should go close.

16:45 - Lady Vivian @ 11/8

This looks like a particularly competitive race and the lightly raced filly LADY VIVIAN gets the nod.

Ralph Beckett’s three-year-old is thoroughly unexposed on her handicap debut here and the form of her win at Southwell last time out has been boosted since.

She bumped into a smart prospect when second at Southwell on her penultimate start and finished comfortably clear of the third, despite showing signs of greenness. The step up to 1m4f clearly suited as she won well next time.

That form looks solid as the second won nicely next time and it is therefore hard to argue with an opening handicap mark of 80. Handicaps could facilitate a significant amount of improvement and she might be a good deal better than her current rating.

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