Boodles May Festival Ladbrokes Chester Cup Day

Boodles May Festival Ladbrokes Chester Cup Cheer On Your Favourites In The Iconic Ladbrokes Chester Cup

Where grace meets glory. History is made. And new and returning legends are crowned.

This isn’t just any race – the victor of the Ladbrokes Chester Cup will go down in history. As the thunder of hooves echoes across the course, every heartbeat surges with adrenaline. The crowd holds its breath. Eyes locked. The finish line awaits.

For two consecutive years, Harry Davies has made his mark, first with Zoffee in 2024, then again with East India Dock in 2025. Will he be able to claim a hat-trick in 2026 or will someone else come for his crown?

It’s a world wind of emotions from start to finish!

Schedule

Gates open

11:30 am

First race

1:50 pm

The Going

Information will be available two weeks prior to the event.

Weather

Information will be available two weeks prior to the event.

Open Course Closure

The Open Course will be closed during the Boodles May Festival. Roodee guests who wish to bring a picnic and camping chairs are welcome to use the grassed area in front of Gate 9.

Tickets & Packages Find your Experience

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Highlights

Ladbrokes Chester Cup

It’s the big one! The Ladbrokes Chester Cup is the longest race run at our racecourse, with the biggest field each year. It’s the highlight of the season and one of the major handicaps of the British racing calendar. In other words, it’s not one to be missed!

Steeped In History

We’ve got history coming out of our ears! We’re the oldest racecourse on the planet AND the Ladbrokes Chester Cup dates back to when George IV was king. Since then, many have been successful in claiming the cup but only a handful have become dual winners including the likes of Rainbow High, Top Cees, Anak Pekan and the Champion Hurdler Sea Pigeon.

Dazzling Hospitality

Picture this: The sun is shining and the Ladbrokes Chester Cup is being lifted in the air by its latest victor – now ask yourself, where would you want to be?

How about in one of our luxurious hospitality areas? Award winning chefs. Sumptuous dishes. Refreshing tipples. First class service. Chic surroundings.

Racecard

1:50 pm

THE CAA STELLAR HANDICAP STAKES

Group

Class 3, 3yo

Distance

5f 15y

Prize

£30,000

2:25 pm

THE BOODLES DARLEY EBF MAIDEN STAKES

Group

Class 2, 3yo

Distance

1m 4f 63y

Prize

£40,000

3:00 pm

THE HUXLEY STAKES (Group 2)

Group

Class 1, 4+yo

Distance

1m 2f 70y

Prize

£170,000

3:35 pm

THE LADBROKES CHESTER CUP (GBB Plus) (Heritage Handicap)

Group

Class 2, 4+yo

Distance

2m 2f 140y

Prize

£170,000

4:10 pm

THE HANDICAP STAKES

Group

Class 2, 4+yo

Distance

1m 2f 70y

Prize

£45,000

4:45 pm

THE XENON WORKPLACE APPRENTICE HANDICAP STAKES

Group

Class 4, 4+yo

Distance

1m 4f 63y

Prize

£22,500

5:20 pm

THE LADBROKES CHESTER PLATE HANDICAP STAKES

Group

Class 2, 4+yo

Distance

2m 2f 140y

Prize

£50,000

TBC

THE IRE-INCENTIVE, IT PAYS TO BUY IRISH HANDICAP STAKES

Group

Class 4, 4+yo

Distance

6f 17y

Prize

£20,000

Raceday FAQs

Got a question about your raceday? Don’t have a MARE – just check out our handy FAQs.

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Can I access the open course on this fixture?

The Open Course will be closed during the Boodles May Festival.

Roodee guests who wish to bring a picnic and camping chairs are welcome to use the grassed area in front of Gate 9.

What Should I Wear?

We want you to feel fabulous in whatever you wear on a raceday but we do have certain dress codes for each enclosure. Lucky for you, we have a guide which tells you the yays or neighs!

Dress Code – Chester Racecourse

We might be switching things up with our dress code for the 2026 season – keep an eye out closer to the time for the latest info!

Where Can I Find The Going Report?

Need to clue up on the racing track info? Head over to the individual raceday page and find the latest updates there.

Can Children Attend?

You bet they can and even better – children aged 17 and under go FREE! For general admission areas, no ticket is required but for hospitality areas, a pre-booked child ticket is needed. To do this, simply email hospitality@chester-races.com.

*Please note – children are not allowed in The Garden or Winning Post Enclosures – this is where the grown ups let their hair down!

Which Forms of Payment Do You Accept?

We’re cashless (apart from the bookmakers) For all your drinks and tasty nibbles, we accept all major debit/credit cards and Apple/Android Pay. For placing bets, cash can be used with our on-course bookmakers.

Plan Your Day Your Guide

You’ve bought your tickets, woohoo! – now it’s time to plan your visit. So you can get a gallop on, we’ve created a handy little guide to help your day run smoothly.

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Don your best fascinators, frocks and fedoras and embrace your inner fashionista.

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Planes, trains and automobiles! Find the best way to get to Chester Racecourse.

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Don’t get lost on a raceday! Use our handy racecourse map to get from A to B.

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You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Find everything you need to know right here.

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Check out our policies and services available to racegoers with accessibility needs.