Family Fun Day - Chester Racecourse

Racing Reports

Family Fun Day

2 Aug 2026

Family Fun Day on the Roodee was all about Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding in August 2026, the pair taking home plenty of winner’s prizes on a sunny afternoon in Chester. The feature race came at 3:20pm in the Queensferry Stakes (Class 1, Listed Race), with going conditions confirmed as Good throughout the afternoon.

Race report by Adam Perkins

2:10 pm

The Radnor Hills Handicap Stakes

Rewarded for his consistency, Charmaine (7/2) won for the first time on turf when landing the first race, running on well to score by 1 ½ lengths for Danny Muscutt and James Fanshawe. Racing prominently up the inside rail, Charmaine kept close tabs on the leaders through the opening circuit, sitting alongside Patagonia Girl (8/1) as Timber Twelve (11/4) set the pace. Travelling with plenty of ease, Charmaine moved sweetly around the final bend, and as Timber Twelve began to fade out of it, Charmaine seized the opportunity, careering away down the home straight to score in style. Frequent visitors to the Chester winners’ enclosure, winning owners Elite Racing Club have also enjoyed success on the Roodee with two-time Queensferry Stakes winner Judicial!

Results

Winner
Name: Charmaine (2)
Owner: Elite Racing Club
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: James Fanshawe
Jockey: Daniel Muscutt

The Race
Distance: 1m 4f 63y
Prize: £15,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 7

2:45 pm

The British Stallion EBF "Confined" Maiden Stakes

Runner-up here on Roman Day, Pure Grit (4/9F) made all to go one better in the second race of the day, galloping on by 2 ¼ lengths to start a winning streak for Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding. Smartly away, Pure Grit quickly established the lead in the early stages, setting a decent gallop up front ahead of main market rival Shakwaa (11/8). Still moving well enough with a couple of furlongs to negotiate, Pure Grit was ridden for more around Castle Bend, and with no real challenges emerging from behind, the leader readily came clear in the final furlong, sprinting home to secure a tidy victory. Another with winning form here, owner Saeed Suhail previously scored here in 2024 with Never So Brave, who also won at Group 1 level in the City Of York Stakes last year!

Results

Winner
Name: Pure Grit (1)
Owner: Mr Saeed Suhail
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

The Race
Distance: 6f 17y
Prize: £15,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 5

3:20 pm

The Queensferry Stakes

Bouncing back from a poor run at Royal Ascot, Simplify (6/1) took the shortest route on the way to landing the feature race by a head, sneaking up the rail to secure doubles for Murphy and Balding. Unable to take a more forward position, Simplify raced in midfield for much of the way, moving nicely in the slipstream of three-time Roodee scorer Calico Blue (6/5F), with Lifeplan (9/1) occupying the lead. Sticking to the far rail as the leaders swung into the straight, Simplify looked unlikely to usurp Lifeplan and Calico Blue with around a furlong to go. However, rallying for Murphy’s urgings, Simplify found a second gear in the final hundred yards, sticking her neck out just enough to provide Ahmad Alkhallafi with another big winner, having also won a Group 3 last week with Moonrise!

Results

Winner
Name: Simplify (9)
Owner: Mr Ahmad Alkhallafi & Mr Marc Waters
Prize: £60,000
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

The Race
Distance: 6f 17y
Prize: £60,000
Class: 1

Runners
Runners: 9

3:52 pm

The Disney's High School Musical at Lowry Handicap Stakes

Defying Stall 11 on her last visit to the Roodee, Dance In The Storm (EvensF) was equally as impressive when defying Stall 10 in today’s fourth race, scorching home by a length for a Murphy/Balding treble. Taking a keen hold from the very outset, Dance In The Storm didn’t make life easy for Oisin Murphy in the early stages, forced to keep his mount in rear division as The Strikin Viking (14/1) set the pace. Hoping for gaps and a pace collapse, Murphy guided Dance In The Storm wide off the home bend, eyeballing Roodee legend Roman Dragon (22/1) as they entered the final furlong. Still full of running, Dance In The Storm showcased a brilliant turn of foot in the closing stages, booted home to land Andrew Balding his tenth Chester winner of the 2026 season!

Results

Winner
Name: Dance In The Storm (5)
Owner: Mr J. C. Smith
Prize: £25,000
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

The Race
Distance: 7f 1y
Prize: £25,000
Class: 2

Runners
Runners: 10

4:22 pm

The J20 Classified Claiming Stakes

Different yard, same result for Oisin Murphy! A remarkable fourth winner in a row for the five-time Champion Jockey came in the fifth race when guiding home Blue Prince (13/8F) by a neck, landing the spoils for trainer David Evans. Always prominent behind Midnight Strike (13/2), Blue Prince (13/8F) travelled nicely throughout Race 5 under a confident Oisin Murphy, with Best Turned-Out winner Candonomore (18/1) racing on his outer. Nudging his mount along into the home straight, Murphy committed for home off the cutaway, pushing Blue Prince into the lead a furlong out and just about doing enough to hold off the fast-finishing Alpha Capture (9/4) in the shadows of the post. Smart on his day, Blue Prince also won a big handicap at Glorious Goodwood in 2024!

Results

Winner
Name: Blue Prince (4)
Owner: G & A Racing
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: David Evans
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

The Race
Distance: 7f 127y
Prize: £15,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 6

4:52 pm

The Tom Jones Live At Chester Racecourse Handicap Stakes

Successful for the first time on British soil, Tiger (2/1F) came home a fiercely impressive winner of the final race, cruising home by 5 ½ lengths for Ed Greatrex and Ian Williams. In amongst the chasing vanguard through the opening circuit, Tiger raced alongside previous course winner Saligo Bay (7/1) in the main, the pair sitting a couple of lengths off Secret Beach (4/1) and Cape Fear (9/4) as the home straight came into view. Ridden along round the turn, Tiger briefly looked unlikely to score. However, as Secret Beach began to flounder, Tiger pounced, snatching the lead a furlong out before staying on in emphatic style to secure a 33rd winner of the season for promising rider Ed Greatrex!

Results

Winner
Name: Tiger (5)
Owner: Gonzales & Michael Watt
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: Ian Williams
Jockey: Edward Greatrex

The Race
Distance: 1m 2f 70y
Prize: £15,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 10

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