Chester Cup Day
Chester Cup
Fact file
- Race distance: 2m 2 1/2f
- Prize money: £100,000 total prize fund
- Conditions: 4-y-o and up
- First run: 1824 (present title in 1893)
The Chester Cup was first run at Chester Racecourse in 1824 and amongst its winners it can boast such names as Brown Jack, Sea Pigeon and Top Cees. It is an early season test over the stamina sapping distance of two miles, two furlongs and 147 years and often features those who will be plying their trade in the Cup races later in the season.
In recent years, the 2003 renewal was taken in fine style by James Given’s grand old
campaigner Hugs Dancer. The previous year, he had won the equally demanding Ebor Handicap
at York before finishing a gallant fifth in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket. He arrived at Chester
after a winter break of over six months, but defied the absence to score impressively.
The following year saw Anak Pekan gallop away from his sixteen rivals to record a very
impressive five-length victory in the famous silks of HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah. Twelve
months later he made it back-to-back successes, becoming the first horse to achieve the
feat since Sea Pigeon in 1977 and 1978.
Anak Pekan - 2004 winner
There was somewhat of a shock in 2006 when the 28/1 outsider Admiral took victory, but
normal service was pretty much resumed the following year when Greenwich Meantime
took the spoils under jockey Paul Hanagan. Although sent off at 14/1 he wasn’t without
his supporters and denied the well backed favourite Fair Along by one-and-a-half lengths.
The winner was no stranger to this race having previously finished third behind Admiral,
albeit from a 10lb lower handicap mark. The improvement he made in 12 months saw him
notch a victory at Ayr before running a fine race in defeat when third in the
Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. It was that performance that indicated he could well
improve on his placing in 2006 and he duly obliged under a fine ride, taking up the running
in the final furlong. Interestingly, he not only overcame a horror draw in stall 16 but the
winning time of 3:58.89 was a course record for the race.
Admiral - 2006 winner
Three years ago Bulwark caused another shock as Ian Williams’ charge got the better of
Som Tala by half-a-length at odds of 33/1 under a fine ride from Jim Crowley for his first
win in almost two years. But the last few years have gone the way of more well-fancied
runners with Daraahem and Mamlook both obliging at odds of 7/1. Daraahem held off
Ajaan by a neck in 2009 for Barry and Richard Hills, while the David Pipe-trained Mamlook,
the 7/1 market leader ridden by Richard Hughes, came out on top by a head from Tastahill
in a thrilling finish which saw the first five covered by less than two lengths.
Daraahm - 2009 winner
Historical Background
The Chester Cup started its life as the Tradesman’s Cup back in 1824 when it was first run.
Originally, the Stand Cup was the feature race of Chester’s May meeting, when this was
the only fixture held each year on the Roodee. However, the Tradesman’s Cup quickly
became the feature race of the meeting in the mid 1800’s before its name was changed
to the Chester Cup in 1893.
Race History
As the longest race run at Chester with the biggest field each year, the Chester Cup is the
highlight of the year. Although many horses have famously won the race twice, no horse
has ever won three times.
The horses that have won the race twice; Rainbow High, Top Cees, Anak Pekan and the
Champion Hurdler Sea Pigeon have particularly fired the imaginations of racegoers. The
extreme distance of the race means that many top hurdlers change code, following in Sea
Pigeon’s footsteps.
Past Winners
- 1999 Rainbow High 4 9-00 Michael Hills Barry Hills 4:00.64
- 2000 Bangalore 4 7-10 Gary Bardwell Amanda Perrett 4:03.00
- 2001 Rainbow High 6 9-13 Richard Hughes Barry Hills 4:01.23
- 2002 Fantasy Hill 6 8-09 Pat Eddery John Dunlop 4:00.20
- 2003 Hugs Dancer 6 8-11 Dean McKeown James Given 4:04.89
- 2004 Anak Pekan 4 8-02 Philip Robinson Michael Jarvis 4:10.90
- 2005 Anak Pekan 5 9-06 Philip Robinson Michael Jarvis 4:14.60
- 2006 Admiral 5 8-04 John Egan Tim Pitt 4:03.34
- 2007 Greenwich Meantime 7 9-02 Paul Hanagan Richard Fahey 3:58.99
- 2008 Bulwark 6 9-04 Jim Crowley Ian Williams 4:06.57
- 2009 Daraahem 4 9-00 Richard Hills Barry Hills 4:04.01
- 2010 Mamlook 6 8-12 Richard Hughes David Pipe 4:37.40
- 2011 Overturn 7 8-13 Eddie Ahern Donald McCain 3.59.39
