Boodles May Festival Chester Cup Day

Sunny skies proved to be the perfect backdrop for the Roodee on Chester Cup Day 2024, the feature race coming at 3:40pm with a stellar field of 16 runners going to post, including last year’s runner-up Zoffee. Ground conditions remained Good To Firm (Good in places) throughout the day.

Race 1 – CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap (Class 2, 4yo+, 7 ½f)

Not to be outdone by the widest stall, Percy’s Lad (16/5) was given a smart front-running ride under Richard Kingscote en route to an impressive 1 ½ length victory in the first race, scoring for training duo Daniel & Claire Kubler. Quickly into stride upon leaving the starting stalls, Percy’s Lad soon found himself in a comfortable lead at the head of affairs, blitzing the field along at a strong gallop with only market leader Dancing Magic (3/1F) and 11-year-old veteran Documenting (28/1) for company through the opening half mile of the contest. Flying round the home turn and still yet to be popped the question, Percy’s Lad extended away impressively under Kingscote passing the final furlong marker, ridden out to make sure in the closing stages to hold off Dancing Magic and Documenting in a race where very few managed to get involved. A successful team when joining forces, Kingscote was also successful for the Kublers last season aboard promising handicapper Astro King in the prestigious Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap at Newmarket!

Race 2 – Boodles Darley ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2, 3yo, 1m 4 ½f)

Causing somewhat of an upset, Mina Rashid (17/2) broke her maiden in gritty style under former champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the second race of the day, marking a first Chester winner of the year for Andrew Balding. Settling into a prominent position behind early pacesetter Ancient Myth (17/2) through the first mile, Mina Rashid raced mainly along the inside rail alongside market leader Ephesus (11/10F), the field completed by Mr Hampstead (7/4) and Moonsilver (50/1) further back. Hard off the bridle around four furlongs from home, Oisin Murphy had his work cut out aboard Mina Rashid, the field now led into the home straight by Ephesus as Moonsilver dropped out of contention. However, rallying under strong pressure from his rider, Mina Rashid was switched out wide with a furlong to go, gaining momentum with every stride as the leaders began to tire. Sailing past at the half-furlong pole, Mina Rashid ran on nicely in the closing stages to come home a fairly comfortable victor, holding off Ephesus by 1 ¼ lengths at the finish. Also victorious here with Youth Spirit in the 2021 Chester Vase, owner Ahmad Al Shaikh looks to have unearthed another good one!

Race 3 – tote.co.uk Free Bet Friday Handicap (Class 2, 4yo+, 1m 2 ½f)

Coming good at the May Festival for a second successive year, City Streak (9/4F) provided favourite backers with a tough watch in Race 3, nailing four-time course winner Box To Box (7/2) right on the line to score by a nostril and bring up a quickfire double for Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding. Nicely away from the gates, City Streak raced a length behind early leader and course specialist Box To Box through the opening mile, never far away from the action under double-seeking Oisin Murphy as Woodstock City (28/1) brought up the rear. Coming off the bridle with a couple of furlongs left to negotiate, City Streak briefly looked in a spot a bother up the inside rail, ridden along to close on the leader as the field made their way around the home turn. In the clear but still looking unlikely to overhaul Box To Box for the lead, City Streak took a while to get fully wound up down the home straight but eventually clawed back the deficit enough to get his nose in front right on the line to deny Box To Box a fifth course victory. Another owner with history at Chester Racecourse, Lord Blyth also scored here in 2017 with Duretto in the Stand Cup; a horse also trained by Andrew Balding!

Race 4 – IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1, 4yo+, 1m 2 ½f)

A promising horse in his three-year-old career, Sir Michael Stoute inmate Passenger (7/4) took the 2024 Huxley Stakes in impressive fashion under Richard Kingscote, setting a new course record on his way to providing trainer and jockey with their second winners of the week. Slowly away, Passenger was unable to gain a forward position in the early stages, positioned in fifth place for the majority of the contest as Irish raider Mashhoor (14/1) took the field along at a sharp pace, just over a length in front of leading fancy Israr (13/8F). Caught in a pocket around the final bend, Kingscote still looked to have plenty of horse under him as the leaders headed into the straight, Mashhoor now overtaken on his outer by the strong-travelling Israr as Passenger stalked in behind. Making his move upon passing the furlong pole, Passenger soon had the measure of Israr on the run to the line, kicking on smartly half a furlong out to seal a very taking victory. A combination to be feared, Flaxman Stables Ireland also combined with Sir Michael Stoute for multiple Group 1 victories in 2017 with Ulysses!

Race 5 – Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2, 4yo+, 2m 2 ½f)

Denied by a neck in last year’s renewal, Zoffee (9/1) finally had his big day in the sun in the 2024 Chester Cup, holding off course specialist Emiyn (28/1) by ¾ of a length under Harry Davies to secure the top prize for local trainer Hugo Palmer. Ridden forward to secure a prominent position, Zoffee soon settled into a midfield position along the inside rail, a position he maintained for much of the contest as market leader Aztec Empire (4/1F) led the way under Oisin Murphy, a couple of lengths clear of Emiyn and the well-backed Grand Providence (15/2) through the initial mile and a half. Moving comfortably enough as the race began in earnest around the home turn, Zoffee continued to stick to the inside rail behind Emiyn, only forcing his way into a challenging position passing the furlong pole before powering on tenaciously to take the spoils ahead of Emiyn and Zanndabad (11/1), the latter having flown down the centre of the track to fall just a length short at the line. More commonly associated with jumps horses, owner Alan Peterson also has two Cheltenham Festival victories to his name, with Massini’s Maguire and Copper Bleu both successful!

Race 6 – Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Plate Handicap (Class 2, 4yo+, 2m 2 ½f)

So close to winning the previous race with Zanndabad, Tony Martin didn’t have to wait long for redemption when his talented 5-year-old Alphonse Le Grande (17/2) stayed on strongly to take the Chester Plate by a comfortable 2 ¼ lengths under reigning champion jockey William Buick. Drawn well in Stall 3, Alphonse Le Grande was quick into stride from flag-fall in the sixth race, situated in the chasing vanguard for much of the race behind early leader Greatness Awaits (16/1) and last year’s Chester Cup fourth Law Of The Sea (5/1). A fairly handy sixth place with three furlongs to go, Alphonse Le Grande soon made rapid headway around the home turn and into the straight, the leader now firmly in his sights as Law Of The Sea took over out in front. Galloping on powerfully into the final furlong, Alphonse Le Grande quickly put paid to the chances of his rivals, sailing past Law Of The Sea at the half-furlong marker and holding off his staying-on stablemate Hamsiyann (5/1) to score in fine style, providing Champion Jockey William Buick with his fourth winner of the week!

Race 7 – Horse PWR Apprentice Handicap (Div I) (Class 4, 4yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

A winner at the track in 2021 when under the care of Ralph Beckett, Oman (22/1) rolled back the years in the penultimate race of the festival, ridden out by Zak Wheatley to secure a 1 ¼ length victory on his first start for new trainer Tony Carroll. Racing rather keenly under the capable hands of Zak Wheatley, Oman forced his way into a prominent second place through the first mile of the seventh race, always just behind market leader Order Of Malta (15/8F) at the head of affairs, with the well-backed Chillhi (5/2) racing towards the rear of the field. Still full of running as Order Of Malta led the runners into the home straight, Oman moved upsides the leader travelling best of all with just over a furlong to go, his nearest challenger now a staying-on Chillhi from rear division. Coming under the whip half a furlong from the line, Oman responded well to Wheatley’s urgings, readily pulling clear of Chillhi in the final 100 yards to secure the win for owner S Bell, who tasted Grade 1 glory way back in 1997 with Toga Toga Toga in the Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita!

Race 8 – Horse PWR Apprentice Handicap (Div II) (Class 4, 4yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

Scorching clear down the home straight in the final race of the week, outsider of the field Chase The Dollar (18/1) proved to be much the best under promising apprentice Connor Planas, coming home a cosy 6-length victor for trainer David Loughnane. Keen to dictate matters, Planas moved Chase The Dollar into the lead within a couple of strides after leaving the starting stalls, always in control of the pace ahead of market principal Giselles Defence (9/4F) and second-favourite Turner Girl (9/2) through the opening mile. Still comfortably in control and seemingly enjoying every second of the contest, Chase The Dollar showed an impressive turn of foot around the final bend, rapidly kicking further clear towards the furlong marker as his rivals toiled in behind. A result never in much doubt, Chase The Dollar piled on the pressure in the final furlong, bounding away stylishly to return a well-deserved first place, having finished runner-up twice previously at the track. A first winner of the year for the young apprentice, Connor Planas recorded an impressive haul of 32 winners last year!

Race report by Adam Perkins