WARRINGTON-BORN Paul Hanagan, whose first sight of live horseracing was when watching the action unfold at Chester, standing with his father on the adjacent city walls, can figure on the scoresheet as Chester’s three-day May Festival draws to a close this afternoon.

The former Malton-based jockey, who now lives in Newmarket, can complete a double on Nafaqa and Wardat Dubai wearing the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum on both mounts.

Trained by Barry Hills, a veteran handler who has had numerous winners on this course down the years, Nafaqa showed high-class juvenile form last season, not least when finishing second to subsequent Racing Post Trophy winner Elm Park in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.

He chased home Kool Kompany in the Craven Stakes last month on his reappearance and should have benefited from that outing.

The step up to an extended ten furlongs in the Betfair Dee Stakes should suit him and the give in the ground is also a potential positive. This looks a tough race, but Nafaqa is fancied to reign supreme.

Wardat Dubai, also trained by Hills, who is retiring at the end of the season, was a beaten favourite under Hanagan at Wetherby’s recent opening Flat meeting. She is surely better than that race displayed her, as it was run a dawdle before turning into a sprint. She deserves another chance this afternoon to fulfil the promise of her juvenile form.

The Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes has attracted North Yorkshire runners in Clever Cookie, Fattsota and Montefeltro but, while all three are to be feared, preference is for the fast-improving Deuce Again.

Trained by John Gosden, this four-year-old filly came good in Listed company at Nottingham on her latest start when she seemed to relish the rain-softened ground.

This race will tell us whether she can cut it at an even higher level. She promises to go well.

David O’Meara, trainer of Fattsota, has good prospects with Alejandro in the Betfair Earl Grosvenor Handicap.

Danny Tudhope’s mount finished a creditable fourth on his comeback outing at Haydock and is a former winner on this course. He is not too badly berthed in stall six for this tight handicap over an extended seven furlongs.

Also worth noting are Snap Shots (3.45), part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, and Gramercy (4.20), one of three runners for Richard Fahey in the seven furlong handicap, in which he will appreciate the ease in the ground.

At Ripon’s evening meeting, Muhadathat can add her name to Mark Johnston’s growing list of winning juveniles this season.

The Middleham trainer seems to have a powerful string of youngsters under his care and this daughter of Showcasing, who was bought at the breeze-up sales, is bred to be speedy.

She is fancied to make a winning debut and is awarded the nap vote.

Richard Whitaker has made a good start to the season and the Leeds trainer, who specialises in sprinters, saddles Tumblewind in the £10,000 Follow @SIS Betting On Twitter Handicap.

It would be no surprise to see George Chaloner’s mount run a big race, despite top weight of 9st 7lb.

The £15,000 SIS Top Class Data Delivery Handicap is the richest race on the card and David O’Meara has useful claims with Sophisticated Heir.

The five-year-old shaped well to finish second at Pontefract last month.

A horse who is capable of leading from start to finish is usually well suited to this track and Sophisticated Heir is fancied to adopt such tactics under Danny Tudhope, who is coming to Ripon after his afternoon stint at Chester.

Chester today: 2.10 Alejandro, 2.40 Nafaqa, 3.10 Deuce Again, 3.45 Snap Shots, 4.20 Gramercy, 4.55 Wardat Dubai, 5.25 Storm Force Ten.

Ripon today: 6.00 Muhadathat (NAP), 6.30 Scrutiny, 7.05 Tumblewind, 7.35 Sophisticated Heir, 8.05 Sarpech, 8.35 Mockingbird Hill.

Today’s other meetings: Lingfield, Market Rasen, Ascot and Nottingham.