Falcon Eight and Dettori can swoop to victory in Chester Cup

Falcon Eight can make his class tell and defy top weight in the tote+ Chester Cup Handicap, the highlight on the final day of the May Festival on the Roodee.

The six-year-old is a fascinating runner for Dermot Weld as he enjoys a first foray into handicap company, having been campaigned up to Group One level in previous seasons.

Falcon Eight did not hit the track until the July of his threeyear-old season, but he looked a potential star in winning his first two starts before making a decent fist of it when third on his first outing at Group Three level. It has been a bit of an upand-down story since, though, with a Listed win at Sandown in July 2019 the highlight of some fairly high-profile challenges, but Weld has yet to get a really good run with him - and this will be just his 10th career outing.

Falcon Eight is having his first run in the best part of a year, which is obviously not ideal, but Weld clearly thinks the Galileo gelding is fit for the task - and given his fair fifth when enduring a troubled run in the Prix du Cadran a couple of years ago, the trip holds no fears. The booking of Frankie Dettori also takes the eye.

Armory was last seen posting a sterling effort in Australia back in October - and he can make a successful European return in the Melodi Media Huxley Stakes.

Beaten a length and a quarter by former stablemate Sir Dragonet in the Cox Plate, Armory had previously finished a fair third in the Irish Champion Stakes, beaten just two lengths by Magical as he kept on at the finish.

The Galileo colt is clearly a progressive individual, and trainer Aidan O'brien has plenty of Group One options for him - so this appears a fine starting point, with a good chunk in hand of his rivals on the official ratings.

El Astronaute is an obvious candidate in the Boodles Conditions Stakes. He endured mixed fortunes last term, but a return to anywhere near the form that saw him Group One placed in 2019 would be more than good enough here.

One-time Classic runner Kenzai Warrior completely lost his way last season, but certainly appeals as an eachway proposition at least in the tote+ Placepots Pay More Earl Grosvenor Handicap.

Gelded over the winter, Kenzai Warrior has edged down the weights a little and could still have plenty to give on just his seventh outing.