15:05 Chester

Friday 9 May 2025

All13:3014:0514:3515:0515:4016:1016:45

Ladbrokes Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 4m 5.76s

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(15)

Dawn Rising⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: Ray Dawson| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 103

18/1

Won the Queen Alexandra at 2023 Royal Ascot and also bagged a 2m Curragh Group 3 last autumn. Should be sharper for a reappearance run over an inadequate 10.5f at Naas in March. Draw not ideal.

Form: 53561-6

(7)

Divine Comedy⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Kaiya Fraser⁽³⁾| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 101

14/1

Very progressive handicapper in the past 2 seasons, winning 4 times. Creditable efforts at listed and Group 3 level this season and should be competitive back in a handicap.

Form: 2580-23

(14)

Duke Of Oxford^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Tom Marquand| T: M L W Bell| OR: 96

40/1

Reliable stayer on AW, including good in-frame efforts at Newcastle and Southwell (4½ lengths third to Caballo De Mar) last month. However, he's been well beaten in his 3 turf starts, including this race last year.

Form: 8311-43

(10)

Who's Glen⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 93| C

9/1

Relished the increase in trip/heavy ground when running out an emphatic winner of 6-runner course handicap (14.5f) last autumn. Bettered that form when second on 2m Kempton reappearance and there could be even more to come from this unexposed 4-y-o.

Form: 34215-2

(16)

Charging Thunder^v¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: David Probert| T: James Owen| OR: 92

33/1

Yet another success story for James Owen, winning 5 times since joining the yard last autumn. Went close on turf at Newbury (2m, good) last month and shaped as if still in form when 4¾ lengths fifth to Caballo De Mar at Southwell 12 days ago. Second-time visor replaces his usual cheekpieces.

Form: 431-125

(3)

Hot Fuss^v⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Pierre-Louis Jamin| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 93

8/1

Took well to hurdling, winning a Sandown juvenile and also an excellent front-running fourth in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival. Prior to Cheltenham he also won a 2m AW Flat handicap at Southwell. Unexposed as a stayer on the level.

Form: 97233-1

(4)

Zoffee²²²

Age: 9| Weight: 8-11| J: Joe Leavy⁽³⁾| T: H Palmer| OR: 91| CD

14/1

Won this race on his 2024 reappearance (also close second in 2023). Found life tougher later in the season but returns off only 1 lb above the mark he defied 12 months ago. Has to enter the reckoning.

Form: 100940-

(11)

Vaguely Royal^p,t1³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Connor Beasley| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 90

125/1

Quite useful on the Flat for the Gosden stable last year but only fair form over hurdles for this yard, despite winning a Wincanton maiden last autumn. Beaten just under 9 lengths when last of 3 on AW Flat in March. A first-time tongue tie (added to cheekpieces) will need to spark improvement.

Form: 35250-3

(13)

Spirit Mixer²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 8-10| J: Rob Hornby| T: A M Balding| OR: 90| C

28/1

Runner-up in the 2022 Northumberland Plate and back to form with a pair of 2m Chester wins at the end of last summer. Respectable fourth on 2m Newbury reappearance and should be spot on with that behind him.

Form: 48110-5

(2)

Emiyn²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 8-10| J: Zak Wheatley⁽³⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 90| CD

20/1

Front-runner with a good Chester record, including second to Zoffee in this last year. Warmed up for another tilt at this with a respectable sixth at Musselburgh last month, although he did once again miss the break, a tendency which would likely prove costly here.

Form: 02360-6

(5)

Leinster⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: R L Moore| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 91

10/3

Lightly-raced sort who improved again to win 18-runner handicap at the Curragh (1½m, soft) on reappearance 6 weeks ago, cosily. Stamina an unknown taking a significant step up in trip but there could be plenty more to come after only 4 starts.

Form: 8/13-1

(6)

East India Dock^p⁵⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Harry Davies| T: James Owen| OR: 89

9/4

Progressed into a useful handicapper at up to 2m for James Fanshawe last year and has done even better in juvenile hurdles for James Owen since, winning a pair of Grade 2s and length third in Triumph. Very interesting back on the Flat in refitted with the cheekpieces.

Form: 204314-

(8)

Caballo De Mar^p¹²^{(ex 3)}

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Callum Shepherd| T: George Scott| OR: 85

11/2

Big improver since stepped up in trip, making it 5 in a row when scoring readily by 4 lengths at Southwell (2m) 12 days ago, with a couple of today's rivals behind. Looks well treated under a 3 lb penalty.

Form: 211-111

(1)

Morning Air⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: J Fanning| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 84| BF

66/1

Fairly useful on the Flat in France. Made a winning start over hurdles for new stable at Leicester in December. Hasn't built on that in 2 subsequent outings over timber but dangerous to discount back on the Flat given her stable's good record in the Plate later on this card.

Form: 631/442-

(9)

Bashful Boy^p¹⁸⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 8-2| J: Aiden Brookes⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 82| D

80/1

Fourth in the 2023 Cesarewitch at Newmarket but his losing run goes back nearly 2 years and bit of a surprise were he to snap it in a race as competitive as this back from 6 months off.

Form: 1154/59-

Non-Runners

(12)

Chemistry²⁰⁸

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: I Furtado J: George Wood

(17)

Liam Swagger⁵

Weight: 8-2| Age: 4

T: James Owen J: Non Runner

Forecasts

East India Dock (9/4), Leinster (10/3), Caballo De Mar (11/2), Hot Fuss (8/1), Who's Glen (9/1), Zoffee (14/1), Divine Comedy (14/1), Dawn Rising (18/1), Emiyn (20/1), Spirit Mixer (28/1), Charging Thunder (33/1), Chemistry (33/1), Liam Swagger (33/1), Duke Of Oxford (40/1), Morning Air (66/1), Bashful Boy (80/1), Vaguely Royal (125/1)

CABALLO DE MAR did admittedly enjoy the run of the race from the front when extending his winning sequence to 5 at Southwell recently but he scored with any amount in hand and looks well treated under a 3 lb penalty. East India Dock's hurdle exploits since joining James Owen suggest he could have more to come back on the Flat and he's feared most ahead of Hot Fuss and last year's winner Zoffee. The very much unexposed Leinster completes the shortlist.