Group Two Huxley Stakes Chester Guide 2023

Noel Meade has one in the Huxley Stakes at Chester with the slight market outsider Layfayette. The six-year-old arrives here on the back of a couple of decent runs at Curragh this season, finishing third in Alleged Stakes (Point Lonsdale in first) and second in Mooresbridge Stakes behind Visualisation.

Endured a difficult 2022 after winning three races at the start of the year in listed event and the two he ran in last year. He’s likely to find these too strong again after finishing behind Point Lonsdale a couple of runs ago and would be an unlikely winner.

Roger Varian boasts one in the Huxley Stakes at Chester on Friday with five-year-old Royal Champion, who makes his return to the track after 209 days off the track. The gelding was in decent form last term, winning by just under three lengths at Epsom Downs in a class two handicap as well as comfortably winning the Listed Doonside Cup Stakes over 1m 2f at Ayr by five-and-a-half-lengths.

There were some decent efforts in grouped company during last season but was a disappointing ninth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot when rounding off 2022. Is in good company again here but Varian’s gelding isn’t completely dismissed.

Andrew Balding sends one to the Huxley Stakes with five-year-old Foxes Tales, who has looked good on his two runs this year. The gelding finished third on his seasonal reappearance at Lingfield in February in the Group Three Winter Derby Stakes, behind Tyrrhenian Sea and Lord North before winning Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton last month by three lengths.

He had a below-par 2022 but retains ability and would be surprising if he wasn’t in with a chance here. Oisin Murphy takes the ride once again.

Aiden O’Brien has one in this contest with his four-year-old Point Lonsdale. The colt was the leading juvenile in 2021, winning all four starts at Curragh, Royal Ascot (Listed Chesham Stakes), Leopardstown (Group Three Tyros Stakes and Curragh again (Group Two Futurity Stakes).

Ended that year with a second-place finish in the Group One National Stakes at the same course, three lengths behind Native Trail before running only once last season, where he finished tenth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when priced at 11/2.

Bounced back last month to win Group Three Alleged Stakes at Curragh by just over a length and is looking to make it back-to-back wins in 2023. Should be there or thereabouts in the hands of Ryan Moore.

William Haggas sends his five-year-old Mujtaba to the Huxley Stakes after 202 days off the track. We last saw him winning a class two handicap at Newbury in October last year, by a huge seven lengths to second-place Fantastic Fox after finishing eighth in Cambridgeshire handicap at Newmarket.

Has won a few times in his career, adding to that Newbury success with wins at Doncaster, Redcar, Chester and Chepstow. Makes his first foray into grouped company here but arrives as the highest rated runner in the field, just ahead of current market favourite Point Lonsdale. Can be in the mix, Jim Crowley does the steering.

Simon and Ed Crisford send their four-year-old Poker Face to Chester on Friday after the four-year-old lost his unbeaten record at Newmarket last month. After winning his first three races in comfortable fashion at Pontefract, Newcastle and Pontefract again, he finished two lengths behind Ottoman Fleet in the Group Three Earl Of Sefton Stakes over 1m 1f at Newmarket.

He ran a good race there in grouped company for the first time and his price in the market is a little surprising considering his talent and took his step up to grouped company well. He is in the best form of the runners here and could go well again.