Architect Tips finds three value bets in the final field of 17 runners for the Chester Cup at the May Festival.
15:40 Friday
The feature race of the three-day May Festival on the “Roodee” is the Chester Cup, which takes place on Friday at 15.40.
Often regarded as one of the toughest staying handicaps of the season, this year’s line-up has attracted a field of 17 runners.
Who will win the £170,000 contest? Here is where you can find my guide to each runner in order of number, along with my tips and predictions.
Chester Cup Runners 2024
1. Falcon Eight
- Trainer: Dermot Weld
- Jockey: Oisin Orr
- Form: 806216
- Odds: 22/1
Winner of this race three years ago (2021) and ran a cracker to finish fifth a year later (2022) off this exact mark when shouldered with top-weight.
The nine-year-old looked as good as ever last year by finishing a half-a-length second in the Irish Cesarewitch prior to winning the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes by more than six lengths.
He will be fitter from his comeback run in Saint-Cloud, but he is vulnerable to anything progressive under these lightning-fast conditions and might get taken off his feet.
2. Magellan Strait
- Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
- Jockey: William Buick
- Form: 803011
- Odds: 9/1
Represents a bang-in-form stable who have enjoyed plenty of success in recent weeks and arrives into this race at the top of his game having won his last couple of starts.
He followed up his shock Irish Cesarewitch success with a narrow victory at Dundalk, and William Buick is booked to ride. He has each-way possibilities.
3. The Shunter
- Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- Jockey: Ben Coen
- Form: 137441
- Odds: 17/2
Not getting any younger but has enjoyed great success over the years, including when successful in the English Cesarewitch in his penultimate start at Newmarket.
He then posted a decent effort back hurdling a month later at Punchestown and is ground versatile. Despite being up to a career-high mark in this sphere, it is hard to not envisage him putting in another decent shift given his good record in large-field handicaps. Interesting runner.
4. Citizen General
- Trainer: Ed Dunlop
- Jockey: Clifford Lee
- Form: 974210
- Odds: 40/1
Returned to winning ways with a commanding success at Kempton in February, but he wasn’t in the same form when only beating one rival home at Newcastle last time out.
This is an even tougher race, so he has his work cut out and is impossible to fancy on recent evidence. He can easily be passed over.
5. Spirit Mixer
- Trainer: Andrew Balding
- Jockey: Callum Hutchinson
- Form: 426789
- Odds: 25/1
Enjoyed a fine year in 2022, winning three times as well as finishing a close-up second to Trueshan in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.
He hasn’t been in the same form in four starts since, but the application of cheekpieces could help him get back on track, and he is well treated with a mark of 94 if he can rediscover his best form. He could run well at a big price with a couple of runs under his belt.
6. Emiyn
- Trainer: Declan Carroll
- Jockey: Zak Wheatley
- Form: 717200
- Odds: 14/1
This seven-year-old is a Chester specialist. He knows this course off the back of his hand, with three course wins to his name plus a host of placed efforts, and only faded out of the places late into this race 12 months ago.
The only time that he’s finished out of the frame here came in this race last year, when he finished a creditable seventh of 16. His record here otherwise reads 1424211, and he was only beaten a length when second over course and distance in the Watergate Cup to the 111-rated Tashkhan.
The winner has advertised the form since with a third-place finish in the Cesarewitch and the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak in Paris. His two runs since have been underwhelming, but he remains on the same mark back at the scene of his fine second here in September, and I see him as a major player in a first-time visor.
7. Zanndabad
- Trainer: Andrew Martin
- Jockey: Richard Kingscote
- Form: 311307
- Odds: 12/1
An interesting Irish representative. This five-year-old has yet to strike for connections but has posted some good efforts in defeat, including the last twice over hurdles when second. He won four times on the Flat when trained in France, so it seems only a matter of time before everything clicks.
Richard Kingscote is an interesting jockey booking, who has been in the frame twice in this race in the past, and his mount is drawn well in stall 10. Being one of the least-exposed runners in a handicap, he could run well.
8. Solent Gateway
- Trainer: Hugo Palmer
- Jockey: Saffie Osborne
- Form: 194300
- Odds: 16/1
One of two runners for Hugo Palmer, who had the runner-up in this race last year. This six-year-old has a good record at this venue but ran poorly in this race two years ago when arriving in better form. His last couple of starts have been disappointing as well.
However, he is a pound below his last winning mark and made the frame in two valuable handicaps towards the end of last year off higher marks, so he is capable of being competitive, and he’s drawn well in stall 5, with Saffie Osborne booked to ride.
9. Aztec Empire
- Trainer: Andrew Balding
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- Form: 663320
- Odds: 6/1
Tends to attract plenty of market support does this five-year-old. He made the frame in three consecutive two-mile handicaps, including in the Northumberland Plate, as well as when beaten a neck at York.
He does need to be forgiven for his latest poor showing, but he was progressive beforehand, Oisin Murphy keeps the faith, and his ride has a good draw in stall 4 to contend with.
10. Zealandia
- Trainer: Ian Williams
- Jockey: Jim Crowley
- Form: 153519
- Odds: 33/1
Has his quirks and could only finish fifth over course and distance in September, but his penultimate win at Newcastle was good. In that race, he beat the classy Enemy, but he was majorly disappointing when well beaten at Kempton last time out.
He needs to get back on track, but Jim Crowley has an excellent record in this race, having won it twice, and he could be thereabouts.
11. Aqwaam
- Trainer: Ian Williams
- Jockey: Franny Norton
- Form: 342217
- Odds: 16/1
Largely consistent and won a shade comfortably at Lingfield in his penultimate outing. However, he was never able to make any inroads last time out, having been slowly away, and he is evidently a much better horse on the all-weather than the turf.
Nevertheless, Franny Norton is a master at this course, and his presence in the saddle does entitle this six-year-old to a second look.
12. Zoffee
- Trainer: Hugo Palmer
- Jockey: Harry Davies
- Form: 426080
- Odds: 9/1
Last year’s runner-up. The eight-year-old came within a neck of taking this event 12 months ago, which was a career-best performance in this sphere. He followed that good effort up with a fine sixth in the Ascot Stakes next time out, but his five runs since have been alarmingly poor, to say the least.
His mediocre performances have seen his mark dilute to a three pounds lower than last year, though, and he is undeniably a better horse on better ground despite his near-miss in this race last year came on soft-to-heavy ground. With Harry Davies booked to do the steering and the inside berth, he could go one place better.
13. Duke Of Oxford
- Trainer: Michael Bell
- Jockey: David Egan
- Form: 971132
- Odds: 18/1
An improving young stayer, whose form over two miles reads 1132 from four starts. He subsequently ran very well to finish second in the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap, despite racing on an unfavourable part of the track.
After winning his first couple of starts on the all-weather early last year, he was deemed good enough to contest the Group 3 Chester Vase on his turf debut at this meeting last year.
Even though he was beaten 113 lengths in the end, I’m not reading too much into that, as it was a tough starting point for the turf, and I reckon Michael Bell was using that race to get some learning experience into him.
My theory is that this has been a long-term target, and the combination of a low weight and a nice mark is beneficial. The draw (16) could have been better, but given this is only his third start on the turf (other turf runs were here and at Royal Ascot), he surely has more to offer and is a definite for the shortlist.
14. Too Friendly
- Trainer: James Owen
- Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
- Form: 216081
- Odds: 20/1
Managed three wins last summer over hurdles and returned to this sphere with a bang in March when winning comfortably at Kempton under a big weight.
He could only finish eighth in the Sussex Champion Hurdle last time out, but he’s only four pounds higher than his last win returned to this code, and Silvestre De Sousa is a positive jockey booking too. He is drawn well in stall 8 and has plenty more to come, so he’s very much one to consider, with conditions to suit.
15. Forza Orta
- Trainer: Kevin Ryan
- Jockey: Rowan Scott
- Form: 772187
- Odds: 12/1
Won his only start over two miles last season at York but ran below form when down the field in the Old Borough Cup on his final start of the season at Haydock.
He didn’t shape too badly when midfield at Thirsk on his return over an inadequate distance and should be fitter, but I don’t think he’s particularly well handicapped, and others hold more pressing claims in spite of being nicely drawn in stall 3.
16. The Grand Visir
- Trainer: Ian Williams
- Jockey: Joe Fanning
- Form: 534700
- Odds: 50/1
The last of the runners from team Ian Williams, who was very useful in his youth. However, it’s been over four years since he last got his head in front, and he finished a well-beaten last of 14 to Duke of Oxford when last spotted.
He did finish second in this race three years ago from a 14-pound higher mark, so he’s capable of this mark of 89, but it’s hard to make a case for him based on recent evidence, and 10-year-olds have a poor record in the race.
17. Grand Providence
- Trainer: Andrew Balding
- Jockey: Hayley Turner
- Form: 322103
- Odds: 7/1
An extremely consistent filly who won three times last year, and the only time she’s finished out of the frame was when she finished down the field in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
Her form figures otherwise read 331132213, and she won the Cesarewitch Trial over this trip back in September. She reappeared with a fine third at Newbury last month and is surprisingly two pounds lower here. Hayley Turner does the bare minimum weight, so this filly has a leading chance.
Chester Cup Tips & Predictions
DUKE OF OXFORD (best price 18/1) has already established himself as a stayer going places. the fact that his only previous start at this course was at this meeting last year in the Group 3 Chester Vase suggests this has been a long-term plan.
Clearly, he is held in pretty high esteem by his handler and is open to plenty more improvement after just two starts on the turf. I think he has a massive each-way chance, with six places generally available.
Duke Of Oxford, 1pt E/W, 16/1, 6 places
EMIYN (best price 14/1) has a superb record at this course and ran a cracker to finish seventh in the race last year. I think he might improve on that now faced with better ground, and his second to Tashkhan over track and trip in September is a top-class piece of form.
His knowledge of this course is exemplary compared to most of these, and from a good slot in stall 7, this three-time course winner should be able to make a bold bid, with six places widely available.
Emiyn, 1pt E/W, 12/1, 6 places
ZOFFEE (best price 9/1) came within a whisker of winning this race last year when he finished second off a three-pound higher mark, and although his recent efforts have been poor, the return to this course and distance on ground will see him in better light.
From a good draw, Hugo Palmer’s charge has a very solid chance of at least making the frame if he is able to rediscover his best form. He has made the frame on several occasions off higher marks in top-class handicap company and could easily go one place better than last year, granted luck-in-running. Six places are on offer.
