Folkswood has the ability to bounce back

tips: Four-year-old can put last month’s Newmarket disappointment behind him

FOLKSWOOD can put his recent Newmarket disappointment behind him in the sportingbet.com Huxley Stakes on day two of the May Festival at Chester.

Hopes were high that the Godolphin runner could hit the Group Three mark in the Earl of Sefton Stakes as he arrived fit from winter action in Dubai, but he fell short against Steel Of Madrid.

William Buick was positive from the off aboard the four-year-old and looked in control coming into the final furlong.

However, Steel Of Madrid summoned up quite the finish and Folkswood had no reply, eventually finishing a half-length second with four lengths back to the third.

It was still a good effort though and stepping up to 10 furlongs in what is a tight event here, Folkswood should certainly be in the mix at the line.

Aidan O’Brien has dominated the MBNA Chester Vase Stakes in recent years, winning five of the last six renewals, and while he fields four of the eight runners here, COUNT OCTAVE is taken to trump them all.

Trained by Andrew Balding, Count Octave is a half-brother to Treasure Beach and the fact he is a son of Frankel only adds to his blue-chip pedigree.

Connections were clearly in no hurry with this colt who made a late debut at Goodwood last October, chasing home fellow Classic hope Monarchs Glen and recent wide-margin Southwell winner Pealer in third.

He then reappeared with a bloodless success in what was essentially a match race at Wolverhampton in March, defying his evident inexperience to win by three lengths with minimum fuss.

Obviously Count Octave has much to find with some of the more established performers here, but the very fact Balding has pitched him into a race like this bodes well and there are no doubts about the trip as he is already a 12furlong winner. SELECTIONS:

CATTERICK: 2.05 Izzy Bizu, 2.35 San Quentin, 3.10 Yorkshire Pudding, 3.45 Coronation Day, 4.15 Midnight Warrior, 4.45 Vallarta, 5.15 Oriental Relation.

CHESTER: 1.50 Khairaat, 2.25 FOLKSWOOD (NAP), 3.00 Areen Heart, 3.35 Count Octave, 4.05 Last Page, 4.35 Awesome Allan, 5.05 Kapstadt. DOUBLE: Folkswood and Count Octave.