The Season Finale - Chester Racecourse

Racing Reports

The Season Finale

12 Sep 2026

Despite damp conditions, the Season Finale at Chester was the perfect way to draw the Roodee racing curtains in September 2026. The feature races of the day saw a Tim Easterby double and a sixth course victory for grand servant Copper Knight, with ground conditions described as Heavy throughout the afternoon.

Race report by Adam Perkins

2:00 pm

The Vault Money EBF Fillies Novice Stakes

Consistent in seven career starts, Rhodes Runner (5/1) secured a well-deserved maiden victory when successful in Race 1, coming home 2 ¼ lengths clear for Jason Watson and Ralph Beckett. Sharply away from the starting stalls, Rhodes Runner sat in a handy position throughout the opening race, latching onto early leader Havana Flash (100/30) as Impulsive Spirit (6/5F) gave chase out wide. Travelling much the best around the turn, Rhodes Runner was soon away and gone into the straight, running on strongly for pressure and readily coming clear to score decisively. Enjoying another fine season, Ralph Beckett also won a Group 3 at Kempton recently with Pride Of Arras!

Results

Winner
Name: Rhodes Runner
Owner: Nick Bradley Racing
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: Ralph Bennett, Kimpton Down
Jockey: Jason Watson

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

Runners
Runners: 8

2:35 pm

The John Smith's Nursery Handicap Stakes

Enhancing Ashley Lewis’s remarkable Roodee record, Crazy Cubana (16/1) did just enough to land the second race of the day, finishing a head clear at the line for the Ed Walker team. Prominent without challenging for the lead, Crazy Cubana raced in a share of third place for much of the way, travelling nicely alongside Somers Isles (5/2F) with Absolute Diamond (9/1) setting the pace up front. Pushed out wide around the turn into the straight, Crazy Cubana displayed a strong turn of foot to take the lead with a furlong to go, and despite the best efforts of Absolute Diamond, the new leader had just enough in hand to secure the win. With a strike-rate of 37%, Ashley Lewis now has 7 winners from just 19 rides on the Roodee – a record Franny Norton would be proud of!

Results

Winner
Name: Crazy Cubana
Owner: West Paces Racing UK 2024
Prize: £15000
Trainer: Ed Walker, Upper Lambourn
Jockey: Ashley Lewis

The Race
Distance: 7f 1y
Prize: £15000
Class: 5

Runners
Runners: 11

3:10 pm

The Destination 2 Selling Stakes

Notching a third course victory in impressive style, Patagonia Girl (2/1F) was far too good for her opponents in the third race of the day, coasting home by 2 ¼ lengths for Jason Watson and Hugo Palmer. Racing in the slipstream of stablemate Reds And Wolves (11/1) through the opening mile, Patagonia Girl (2/1F) sat in a clear third place with 2 ½ furlongs to race, moving sweetly under double-seeking Jason Watson. Still on the bridle around Castle Bend, it looked a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ Watson would deliver a challenge for the lead, and as Reds And Wolves began to flounder passing the furlong marker, Patagonia Girl surged to the front and bounded away to land a ninth course winner of the year for Hugo Palmer; a year which has amassed £225k in prize money!

Results

Winner
Name: Patagonia Girl
Owner: Mr D R Passant
Prize: £15000
Trainer: Hugo Palmer
Jockey: Jason Watson

The Race
Distance: 1m 2f 70y
Prize: £15000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 10
Non-Runners: 2

3:46 pm

The Kidsbank Chester Handicap Stakes

Evidently well suited by heavy ground, Miraculous (11/4F) ran out a superb winner of the fourth race, clearing away by 4 ¼ lengths to score for Sean Kirrane and Tim Easterby. Content to allow Supreme King (12/1) to set a blistering pace in the early stages, Sean Kirrane maintained a clear second place aboard Miraculous for much of the way, racing around five lengths behind the runaway leader. Pushed along around the bend, it looked as though the chance had gone for Miraculous, still with four lengths to find. However, Miraculous found his second wind with a furlong to go, edging past Supreme King with ease before rattling home to land the spoils. Owners synonymous with Chester winners, Ambrose Turnbull & John Cruces also owned three-time Roodee scorer Count d’Orsay!

Results

Winner
Name: Miraculous
Owner: Ambrose Turnbull & John Cruces
Prize: £20,000
Trainer: Tim Easterby
Jockey: Sean Kirrane

The Race
Distance: 6f 17y
Prize: £20,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 12
Non-Runners: 3

4:17 pm

The Halliwell Jones Handicap Stakes

A legend in his own right, Copper Knight (9/4F) secured his sixth course victory when finishing strongly to land Race 5 by ¾ of a length, notching a quickfire double for Kirrane and Easterby in the process. Shuffled along through the opening furlong, Copper Knight occupied the inside rail in mid-division for the majority of the fifth race, racing around five lengths behind habitual frontrunner Secret Mistral (20/1) at the halfway stage. Still behind a wall of horses with a couple of furlongs to go, Copper Knight had little room to manoeuvre, but despite this troubled passage, the 12-year-old veteran rallied superbly in the final furlong, flying down the centre of the track to snatch victory in the shadows of the post. No stranger to success, this marked a 65^th Chester winner for Tim Easterby!

Results

Winner
Name: Copper Knight
Owner: Ventura Racing (Copper) & Partner
Prize: £20,000
Trainer: Tim Easterby, Malton
Jockey: Sean Kirrane

The Race
Distance: 5f 15y
Prize: £20,000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 12
Non-Runners: 2

4:52 pm

The Style Joinery Handicap Stakes

Gradually finding his feet this season, Andesite (11/2) landed his second victory in a row when successful in the sixth race of the day, keeping on by half a length for Darragh Keenan and Roger Fell. Travelling with plenty of zest, Andesite proved a bit of a handful in the early stages, taking a keen hold alongside King Of Thunder (3/1F) as County Carlow (40/1) set the pace. Nudged along on the approach to the home turn, Andesite gradually began to make inroads on the leaders with a couple of furlongs to run. As gaps started to open, Andesite soon found his feet entering the home straight, staying on stoutly to hold off an unlucky Blue Prince (13/2) in the closing stages. In good form on the Roodee, four of Keenan’s ten rides at Chester have finished first or second this year!

Results

Winner
Name: Andesite
Owner: Swales & Fell
Prize: £20000
Trainer: Roger Fell, Nawton
Jockey: Darragh Keenan

The Race
Distance: 7f 1y
Prize: £20000
Class: 4

Runners
Runners: 9
Non-Runners: 2

5:25 pm

The Lord Mayors Spooktacular Fireworks Apprentice Handicap Stakes

A recent purchase out of Jessica Harrington’s yard, Carthusian (9/1) proved another shrewd buy for the Jennie Candlish team when landing the finale by 1 ¾ lengths, staying on strongly under Liam Wright to score in style. Racing between mid and rear division, Carthusian was in no great hurry through the opening mile of the seventh race, sticking to the inside rail as rank outsider Talka (150/1) set a modest gallop out in front. Nudged forward towards Castle Bend, Carthusian still had some navigating to do with a quarter mile left to race, trapped behind Melon (5/4F) and Zimmerman (7/2) as the straight came into view. However, sneaking up the rail and sticking on resolutely, Carthusian finished best of all in the final furlong, clearing away to score impressively. A memorable moment for the young jockey, this marked Liam Wright’s first ever winner at Chester!

Results

Winner
Name: Carthusian
Owner: The Carthusians
Prize: £15,000
Trainer: Jennie Candlish
Jockey: Liam Wright

The Race
Distance: 1m 6f 87y
Prize: £15,000
Class: 5

Runners
Runners: 10
Non-Runners: 2

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