Chester Cup - Our Definitive Runner-By-Runner Guide

Falcon Eight

Last year’s winner carries top weight again, but this time concedes significantly more weight to all of his rivals. Won running away by a comfortable two lengths though and this is his first handicap start on the flat since. Has performed decently over hurdles in the meantime, without quite translating his class to that sphere. Every chance that will have kept him fit and ready for this though and could prove a popular favourite.

The Grand Visir

Runner-up a year ago when only getting 1lb from the winner. Now in receipt of 8lb and that 7lb swing could easily see him bridge the gap. Raced at a high standard for most of last season after finishing second here, including being placed in Group company in France. Form tailed off slightly and was last of six on return, but was very tenderly ridden and every chance he improves markedly for that hear. Could bely the draw to run very well at a price.

Rajinsky

Six-year-old who is regularly seen in the big staying handicaps, which is why it is slightly surprising he has never run in this race. Lack of course experience a slight worry, but he could not have a better introduction to the track than stall one and racing prominently has favoured him in the past. Won on stable debut for Hugo Palmer at Ripon recently, but is on a career high mark of 99 and that might prove tricky in this contest.

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Reshoun

Owner loves a winner at this track and has taken this in three of the last eight runnings. This eight-year-old has won exactly once each season he has raced in Britain, the most recent coming at 66/1 over 2m4f at Royal Ascot last summer. Ran a decent race in the Cesarewitch off 2lb higher than this in October, but though he did his best work late on at Wolverhampton on reappearance, he was soundly held in fourth. Mark is still 1lb higher than his last winning one and not obviously well-treated to gain his annual victory here.

Cleveland

Fascinating entry for Aidan O’Brien, as he also holds entries in Group 1s such as the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Coronation Cup and the Gold Cup at Ascot. Only had four runs in his career, with two fifth-placed finishes in maidens preceding a cosy success at the Curragh on his final juvenile appearance. Not seen for 506 days after that, coming home in fifth again in Listed company at Naas in March. That was over 1m2f, so he steps up, quite literally, a mile in distance. Would need a lot more than he has shown, but this could equally prove a masterstroke by connections.

Arcadian Sunrise

Originally a National Hunt horse who only made his flat debut in 2020. Has since had five more runs on the level, winning twice, including a valuable handicap at York last summer.  Failed to fire off revised mark next time out at Naas in October and has the same rating for this assignment. That may have been an anomaly and is well drawn with Jamie Spencer aboard, but probably needs to find a bit extra.

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Coltrane

Scored a hat-trick in 2020 when taking advantage of being underrated by the handicapper. That included an easy win in York’s Melrose Stakes, the reserve race for the Ebor. Was off the track for over a year when only ninth in that year’s Cesarewitch and while he has twice run with credit on the all-weather since returning, his mark still looks fairly lofty here. Could be better on turf, but will certainly need to be.

It’s Good To Laugh

Originally with Clive Cox before being sent to Jennie Candlish last summer. Ran three times on the flat for this yard, winning twice, with both coming at Chester. Has since gone hurdling, and made a promising start in novice company in that sphere. Mark of 94 is career high for the flat, but his hurdles efforts suggest he could stay this far and promising that he has 100% record at the track. Admittedly had much better draws here in the past, but a lively outsider nonetheless.

Torcello

Record is patchy to say the least since April 2021. Form on the flat reads last, last, first, last,  second-last, first, nowhere, if written out instead of bare figures, so he is useful when you catch him right, but hopeless if not. Efforts over 2m on the flat are not promising, as wins have come over 1m4f and on soft ground. Remains on a challenging enough mark and though he has one outstanding piece of form when fresh, he is not consistent on that front either.

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Morph Speed

Officially improved 29lb last season, rising from an opening mark of 62 in 2021, to beginning this year off 91. That owes to four successes from between 1m1f and 1m6f, so he is versatile. Indeed, this season his two runs have been over 1m5f and 1m, so his trainer does not mind mixing things up. This trip of 2m2f will mean none of the distances he has run over in 2022 will have been within a kilometre of each other. That does not strike as ideal preparation and this is easily the toughest race he has ever contested.

Land Of Winter

Ran some excellent races last season, but is another who will be difficult to predict in terms of whether he will turn up. Won twice in 2021, at Ripon and Nottingham, those wins coming on good and soft ground. He is versatile regarding that at least, but that Nottingham success ensures he is now 6lb higher than when an 125/1 11th in the Cesarewitch on his penultimate start. His form fresh is unconvincing as well, so while he is a capable stayer, he looks an unlikely winner.

Solo Saxophone

This will be his first run on the flat for Alex Hales. Has run good races in handicaps off marks beyond this one in the past, but that has not been the case more recently in his career. Won off 4lb below this on his penultimate flat run, but was relatively comfortably held on the all-weather at Southwell latest. Usually held up and has the worst draw, so very little going for him from a Chester point of view either.

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Solent Gateway

Bred for no further than a mile, but has improved with every step up in trip in his career, including when winning over 2m at this track last August. Is on a career-high mark which is 7lb above that victorious rating, but has had excuses the last twice. Unsuited by heavy ground at Newbury in October, but made a fighting reappearance at Epsom over 1m4f recently. Every chance he will come on for that and be better at this marathon distance and is firmly in the reckoning here.

Haliphon

18 of his 21 career starts cam at up to 1m4f in France for Francois-Henri Graffard. Two of those resulted in victories, but Ian Williams has changed tack markedly with him, as he has gone from 1m4f to 2m in the space of a month. Competitive enough in his trio of starts for this new yard without really threatening. 2lb drop for last run is kind enough and shapes as though the extra 2f are in range, but would still be a surprise if he suddenly returned to the winners’ enclosure.

Byron Flyer

Remarkably versatile veteran who has been in the top three on 25 of his 57 starts on the flat and over obstacles. 12 of those have been successful ones, but none of those have come since 2019 and none since 2018 on the flat. 11-year-old has run very well at Epsom the last twice over 1m4f though far from guaranteed to replicate that after 222 days off the track.