A Momentofmadness looks ideally drawn to make all in the opening race on day two of the Chester May Festival, the Gateley PLC Handicap (1.50).

Charlie Hills’ five-year-old is blessed with fantastic early speed, highlighted recently when breaking the five-furlong course record at Kempton and all his best performances have come when being allowed to dictate matters upfront.

A Momentofmadness only beat one of his eight rivals home at Newbury three weeks ago but sweated up badly in the preliminaries and had every chance approaching the furlong pole on ground that wouldn’t have been ideal.

Any significant overnight rain wouldn’t be ideal but the fact William Buick retains the ride is a major plus point and, berthed in stall one, Buick can hopefully blast off into an early lead and never see another rival.

John Quinn’s El Astronaute, winner of this race 12 months ago, looked an obvious danger but he’s poorly drawn in stall nine and it would take a serious effort from jockey Jason Hart to get prominent from that wide on the Roodee track. That’s no issue for the selection, who looks overpriced at 8-1 with Paddy Power.

I may live to regret opposing in-form trainer Charlie Appleby in the English Fine Cottons Handicap (4.35), but I’d rather take on chance on Berkshire Royal enhancing Andrew Balding’s excellent record in Chester handicaps.

Balding often makes the trip to the walled-city pay with his string and the three-year-old comes here fresh from landing back-to-back races over 1m1f at Wolverhampton, running on at the finish to suggest the step up in trip here will suit.

Berkshire Royal is only up 6lb to a mark of 72 for those successes and although it’s early days, it’s conceivable to think he’ll prove far better than his current mark. Well-drawn in stall three with Jason Watson taking a further 5lb off, he could prove the answer despite a marked step up in class.

Charlie Croasdale's race-by-race selections for day two:

1.50: A Momentofmadness (nap) – see above

2.25: Kenya – Handled soft ground with two wins as a two-year-old and should come on from reappearance at Leopardstown in the 2000 Guineas Trial.

3.00: Dragons Tail – Decent draw in stall six for the prolific Dascombe/Kingscote team, albeit in a hugely competitive handicap.

3.35: Duretto – Consistent six-year-old who has won at Chester previously, for a yard who deliver regular success at the track. Should handle any soft underfoot conditions.

4.05: Arcadian Rocks – Represents the in-form Mick Channon yard and well berthed in stall one.

4.35: Berkshire Royal (nb) – see above.

5.05: Bakht A Rawan – Interesting on the angle his trainer does well with his early season runners on rain-softened ground. Any significant rainfall would aid his chance under Oisin Murphy.