Virgin Bet Autumn Racing Food & Drink Weekend

For the second day in a row, an eight-race card was the highlight of Chester’s Autumn Racing Food & Drink Weekend. The two feature races came at 2:05pm in the Stand Cup (Listed) and at 2:40pm in the Watergate Cup (Class 2), with drying ground leaving conditions Soft throughout the day.

Race 1 – Juddmonte EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (EBF Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2, 2yo, 7f)

Eventually off the mark at the seventh attempt, Tactical Plan (3/1) ran out an impressive winner of the first race, coming home strongly under Jim Crowley to score by 1 ¼ lengths for trainer Ed Dunlop. Quite headstrong through the first four furlongs of the contest, Tactical Plan forced his way into a prominent position by halfway, sitting a couple of lengths behind the pace as Sir Peter Fossick (11/4JF) and Noble Phoenix (11/4JF) led the field towards home. Switched to the outside around the home turn, Tactical Plan made rapid headway to sneak ahead of the hard-ridden Sir Peter Fossick into the straight, the pair chased closest of all by Mayday Malone (12/1). Now in the clear and kicking on strongly under pressure, Tactical Plan soon had the race sewn up under Crowley, the consistent 2-year-old pulling out more in the final 100 yards to secure victory. Another successful year for Jim Crowley, the former champion jockey has also won nine Group races this season!

Race 2 – Virgin Bet Stand Cup Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1, 3yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

Retaining his crown after last year’s success, Al Qareem (4/5F) was once again victorious in the Stand Cup Stakes, leading from pillar to post to land the spoils by 2 ¾ lengths for Pierre-Louis Jamin and Karl Burke. Setting a steady pace from the outset, Al Qareem stuck true to type in the second race of the day, leading the field with ease through the opening mile with rank outsider Cristal Clere (20/1) always a couple of lengths behind in second. Stepping up the tempo upon passing the three-furlong marker, Al Qareem soon had most of his rivals at it in behind, the majority under pressure as he pressed on around the home turn. Booted clear into the straight, Al Qareem never looked in much danger of being usurped in the final furlong on a half, staying on resolutely and holding Cristal Clere to a well-beaten runner-up spot. Often a fruitful combination when joining forces, Burke and Jamin were also successful in the 2023 Prix Eclipse (Group 3) at Chantilly with Dawn Charger!

Race 3 – Livescore Bet Watergate Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2, 3yo+, 2m)

Winning on the Roodee for the second time in as many weeks, Spirit Mixer (11/2) took the most valuable contest of the day by just a nose, holding on bravely to score for Rob Hornby and Andrew Balding. Breaking well enough, Spirit Mixer settled nicely in midfield as Mr Escobar (5/1) completed the opening mile out in front, the field well grouped with reigning Chester Cup winner Zoffee (12/1) bringing up the rear in last place. Still to play his hand aboard Spirit Mixer as the runners passed the four-furlong marker, Hornby kept his calm, gradually edging his mount into contention around the turn into the straight. With just Mr Escobar to worry about, Spirit Mixer committed to the fight over a furlong from home, locking horns with the long-time leader as they broke away from the chasers. Sticking on dourly under pressure, Spirit Mixer found an extra stride when he needed it, just doing enough in the closing stages to sneak ahead in the shadows of the post. Another winner for J C Smith and Balding, owner and trainer also won the Strensall Stakes (Group 3) last month with See The Fire!

Race 4 – Camden Hells Nursery Handicap (Class 4, 2yo, 5f)

Taking the drop in class in his stride, Fuji Mountain (100/30) got firmly back in the groove in the fourth race of the day, grimly clinging onto the advantage to land the contest by a head for Zak Wheatley and Declan Carroll. Full of beans and keen to press the leaders from flag-fall, Fuji Mountain raced prominently in behind a trio of rivals through the halfway point, racing alongside Lily Agnes winner Teej A (10/1) as Invincible Song (5/1) set the pace. Still on the bridle around the home turn, it looked to be just a matter of time before Wheatley made his move aboard Fuji Mountain, aiming the exuberant grey through a narrow gap a couple of furlongs from home to challenge the leader. Now in the clear and responding well for pressure, Fuji Mountain made the best of his way home through the final furlong, kicking on strongly to just about hold off Teej A in second place. A twelfth winner of the season for Wheatley, the young jockey has amassed over £185K in prize money this year alone!

Race 5 – Virgin Bet Handicap (Class 3, 4yo+, 1m 2 ½f)

Delivered to perfection by Sean D Bowen, Stressfree (9/2) put in a remarkable performance to take Race 5, flying home from last to first down the centre of the track to score by 1 ½ lengths for trainer David O’Meara. Seemingly happy to switch his mount off towards the tail end of the field, Bowen kept his cool aboard Stressfree through the opening mile of the contest, the nine runners headed by First Officer (15/2) as they strolled past the three-furlong pole. Still with plenty of work to do as the field rounded Castle Bend, Stressfree perhaps didn’t quite live up to his name, sitting in last place and having to switch out wide to find racing room two furlongs out. However, full of running and suddenly appearing on the scene within a matter of strides, Stressfree looked a different proposition in the home straight, circling the field a furlong from home and gliding home out wide to provide Sean D Bowen with his third Chester winner of the weekend; what an effort from the young jockey!

Race 6 – Wilson Family Handicap (Class 4, 3yo+, 7 ½f)

Backed into favouritism shortly before the off, Pitney (7/2F) had to pull out all the stops to hold on to the lead in the sixth race, eventually clinging on by a head to provide Jonny Peate and Hugo Palmer with another winner on the Roodee. Slowly into stride, Pitney had to sit further back than ideal in the opening stages, sticking to the rail with only the slow-starting Pearl Eye (10/1) behind. Cruising into contention with just under three furlongs to go, Pitney really caught the eye around the home turn, sneaking up the inside rail to take a narrow lead into the straight. Kicking well clear over a furlong from home, Pitney was soon in the ascendancy under Jonny Peate, and despite a late scare from a plucky Pearl Eye, readily held on to score for the first time on turf.  Teaming up with Palmer once again, winning connections also scored here at the 2023 Boodles May Festival with Hackman!

Race 7 – Edinburgh Gin Jumps Jockeys Challenge Handicap (Div I) (Class 4, 4yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

A brilliant performance from the Ben & Dominic French Davies team, Ithaca’s Arrow (2/1F) came home a decisive winner of the inaugural Jump Jockeys Challenge in Race 7, staying on by 3 ¼ lengths to take first prize. Travelling boldly towards the head of affairs, Ithaca’s Arrow set a decent pace up front alongside Clansman (11/1) during the first mile of the contest, his nearest market rival Grey Fable (9/4) sitting in rear division as the field galloped into their four furlongs. Still moving sweetly on the bridle on the approach to Castle Bend, Ithaca’s Arrow looked to have most of the field tapped for toe heading into the final quarter mile, bursting clear around the home bend to steal a healthy advantage. Running on strongly for his rider’s urgings, the result was never in much doubt for Ithaca’s Arrow, extending away relentlessly in the final furlong to land the spoils. A long time between drinks, Ben Ffrench Davies last rode a winner on the flat way back in 2013 aboard Darakti!

Race 8 – Edinburgh Gin Jumps Jockeys Challenge Handicap (Div II) (Class 4, 4yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

A combination more commonly seen at Northern jumps tracks, Danny McMenamin and Iain Jardine joined forces for a rare winner at Chester in the finale, their Haveyoumissedme (9/2) running out a ready ¾ length victor. Never too far away from Dreams Adozen (11/4) at the front of the pack, Haveyoumissedme moved nicely in midfield under McMenamin, scraping the paint of the inside rail as the field passed the mile point of the contest. Making headway as four of his rivals slipped out of contention, Haveyoumissedme travelled well on the run towards the home straight, stalking Dreams Adozen around the final bend ready to unleash his challenge. Finding a gap and delivering his mount perfectly, McMenamin held all the cards in the closing stages, pushing Haveyoumissedme all the way to the line to ensure defeat was out of the question. A talented dual-purpose trainer, Jardine also trained 2017 Ebor winner Nakeeta, a horse who had finished runner-up in the 2016 Chester Cup!

Race report by Adam Perkins