Key events
East India Dock’s Cup win another big stride forward for James Owen
The 2025 Chester Cup success of East India Dock proved to be a big day in the careers of two of racing’s rising stars – Harry Davies, who was aboard the big-race winner for the second year running, and trainer James Owen, whose championship-winning talent for training Pure-Bred Arabians has transferred brilliantly to training thoroughbreds both over the jumps and on the Flat.
East India Dock had last been seen on a track when finishing a close third as the hot favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, and he switched back to the Flat as a much-improved performer, coming with an irresistible run down the middle of the track, over a trip he was trying for the first time on the level, to land the spoils with something to spare.
As Owen pointed out afterwards, his yard has now sent out 100 winners both on the Flat and over hurdles in less than three years, and his strike-rate under both codes is around 20 per cent. Punters and bookies alike have swiftly learned to treat any runner from the yard with immense respect, and Owen has, in many respects, only just begun. “To win the Chester Cup is fantastic,” he said. “We’ve hit the crossbar a few times coming here, but it’s nice to have a winner here and we’ve won the big one.”
Davies, meanwhile, advertised his talent once again with a perfectly-judged ride on East India Dock, having briefly led in the opening strides before settling close behind the pace in a perfect position to strike as the field straightened for home. “I’m very lucky to get the rides in this race I have and every time I have ridden in it, I don’t think I’ve had a bad ride,” he said afterwards. “He got a good draw which always helps round here, and he jumped good, I was able to hold my pitch and then he was gutsy.”
Having come up just short at Cheltenham, East India Dock will now be aimed towards Royal Ascot, where the Ascot Stakes Handicap or the Queen Alexandra Stakes are potential targets.
James Owen, the trainer of East India Dock, is a rapidly-rising force both over jumps and on the Flat, having started out in racing as a champion trainer of Pure-Bred Arabians.
He has just enjoyed the biggest success of his career to date, both in terms of prize money – £86k – and also the profile of the Chester Cup as one of the toughest races to win all year.
“This is our biggest win, we’ve had Group wins and things like this but this is a really prestigious race, the one that everyone comes here for, so to win it is fantastic.
“I’ve got a lot of support from a lot of good owners. We’ve now trained 100 Flat winners and 100 jumps winners and we’ve been going two-and-a-half years, so we’re getting there.”
I asked him if he thinks he’ll ever want or need to choose between the Flat or the jumps.
“I want to remain dual-purpose,” Owen said. “Obviously we’ll switch to have more Flat horses during the summer, and always have a winter team for the all-weather along with the jumpers. My greatest love is jumping and a lot of horses like switching between codes.”
But does he ever get a day off? “This is a day off,” he said with a broad smile, before heading off to pick up his prize.
CHESTER 3.05 RESULT: Cup double for Harry Davies on East India Dock
1. EAST INDIA DOCK 9-4 FAV, 2. Caballo De Mar 11-2, 3. Zoffee 14-1.
Callum Shepherd did all he could on Caballo De Mar and timed his run to perfection, but he just had no answer to the late surge that Harry Davies – who was on last year’s winner, Zoffee – coaxed from East India Dock.
Going down the back, still Leinster in front, Caballo de Mar going well alongside … here’s Caballo De Mar with his challenge down the middle of the track, he’s a length up but here’s East India Dock wider still, and East India Dock has quickened up impressively to win!
Leinster still leads but taking quite a hold, he may need to settle better to get home … Caballo De Mar still close in second with Zoffee, turning back for home the first time … Divine Comedy and East India Dock fourth and fifth … Emiyn and Hot Fuss mid-division … still closely packed going back out for the final circuit ..
Level break, they’re charging six-wide across the straight looking for position … Leinster and Ryan Moore get the lead, Caballo De Mar close up with Zoffee …
Off and running in the Chester Cup!
They are at the post for the Chester Cup, and starting to go into the stalls … a minute or so to the off …
CHESTER CUP VERDICT
This is one of the toughest Flat handicaps of the year and any punter’s shortlist is likely to extend to at least half-a-dozen runners, but in the end, having flirted with Zoffee and East India Dock among several others, I decided that sometimes the obvious option is the one to take and plumped for Caballo De Mar.
He’s currently a 5-1 chance, behind East India Dock at 100-30 and Leinster on 7-2.
CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Zoffee
Last year’s winner is back for another crack, along with the runner-up, Emiyn.
CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Hot Fuss
Like East India Dock, his last run was at Cheltenham, but in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle where he was a very creditable fourth.
CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Caballo De Mar
Much improved on the all-weather over the winter, he arrives at Chester looking for a six-timer and remains on a very decent mark if he can translate that improvement back to turf. His last win on grass was on a mark of just 64, but he was off 85 when winning his latest start at Southwell by four lengths and carries a 3lb penalty today.
CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: East India Dock
James Owen’s runner was last seen finishing a close third in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
His last outing on the Flat, meanwhile, was in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster in September.
CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Leinster
One of Joseph O’Brien’s two runners and a potential favourite, he’s lightly-raced with just four runs in the book and took a big-field handicap at the Curragh in March with something to spare.
Another winning favourite and it was pretty straightforward for Oisin Murphy once he pulled The Foxes out and pointed him towards the line.
He cruised around, broke and relaxed and did everything you’d want him to do.
2.35 Chester result: The Foxes hunts his rivals down
1. THE FOXES 13-8 FAV, 2. Cairo 40-1.
Bolster leads six out … Certain Lad goes well on his outside as they start to turn in … into the straight, Bolster kicks, Certain Lad next and here comes The Foxes down the middle of the track … Murphy has a furlong of track to work with … he’s making ground easily and hits the front … and stays on to win cosily.
The Foxes straight into the lead … Certain Lad was slow to stride … Bolster moves up to take the lead from The Foxes with a circuit to run … Cairo is second, The Foxes against the rail going out into the back …
Off and running for the Huxley Stakes …
They are at the post for the Huxley Stakes, and The Foxes has eased slightly to 13-8. Space Legend is in to 9-4, with Liberty Lane at 9-2 and Certain Lad – who was very reluctant to go to post but consented to canter down eventually – at 9-1.
2.35 CHESTER, HUXLEY STAKES, GROUP TWO, 1M 2F 70YD
Next up here at Chester is the Huxley Stakes, the only Group Two of the week, and Andrew Balding’s five-year-old The Foxes is a warm favourite at around 6-4 to notch his third win at this level (after successes in the Royal Lodge Stakes at two and the Dante Stakes at three).
His last start was behind the top-class Rebel’s Romance in Qatar:
The second-favourite is Space Legend, unraced since finishing second in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last August:
And this is also a decent chance for Liberty Lane to add a Group Two win to his success in the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket last autumn:
The eye-catcher in that last race here was Charlie Johnston’s Pole Star, who was last turning in but made strong progress against the rail to be touched off for fourth.
Here’s the closing stages of the opener, from the ITV Racing feed on Twitter/X:
Chester 2.05 result: All the way for Al Wasl Storm
1. AL WASL STORM 9-1, 2. Orionis 7-1.
Off and running in the 2.05 at Chester …
Al Wasl Storm is first around the home turn first time .. The Pouncing Lion settles in second for Ryan Moore … past the post with a circuit to run … Al Wasl Storm still leads, The Pouncing Lion drops back to fourth but still close up … five out, no change in the order, but The Pouncing Lion is being pushed along … Ryan Moore pulls wide for his run .. The Pouncing Lion making ground but under plenty of pressure to do so, Al Wasl Storm still leads, the pursuers are not making any impression …. half a furlong out, this is all over, Al Wasl Storm has made all the running to win for Owen Burrows.
It has been an excellent week for favourite backers so far, the first two market leaders on the ITV Racing schedule have gone in already, with The Pouncing Lion next up here at around 11-10.
Michael Bell, his trainer, was just on ITV and seemingly playing down his chances, saying there are “a lot of lurkers” in the field and it will be “a bit of a surprise if he wins”, but the punters don’t seem too worried and the money keeps coming.
1.50 Ascot result: Power Fizz keeps the punters in front
1. POWER FIZZ 15-8 FAV, 2. Brave Mission 100-30, 3. Shout 17-2.
2.05 CHESTER, MAIDEN STAKES, 3YO, 1M 4F 63YD
Next up here at Chester is a maiden over a mile-and-a-half, with £20k on offer for the winner. Al Wasl Storm is the only runner with a fancy future entry – he is still in the Derby, no less – but the market is not too impressed and he is current the third pick in the betting behind The Pouncing Lion – third home in a novice at Goodwood in October – and Ammes, who looked an improved performer when second on his seasonal debut at Kempton in April. The Pouncing Lion is strong in the betting for Michael Bell’s in-form stable, which has had six winners from 21 runners over the last fortnight, but he has something to find with Ammes on the bare ratings and James Owen’s colt may be a better bet at the current odds.
SELECTION: AMMES
Off and running in the 1.50 at Ascot …
Power Fizz soon in front, Columnist and Brave Mission close up … Power Fizz nicely settled on the lead, Brave Mission starting a challenge … final furlong, still Power Fizz, he’s drifting a little but he has a useful lead and he’s staying on well now to land the spoils …
1.30 Chester result: Two Tempting gets dream run from stall one
1. TWO TEMPTING 9-4 FAV, 2. Partisan Hero 12-1, 3. Kindest Nation 33-1.
1.50 ASCOT, HANDICAP, 3YO, 7F
While Power Fizz is the percentage call here given his strong recent form, there is plenty of three-year-old potential in this race too and Ralph Beckett’s Brave Mission is a horse to keep an eye on. A son of Frankel out of a Siyouni mare, he showed an excellent turn of foot to put a novice stakes race to bed at Kempton in September. Philanthropist, a recent winner on the all-weather for James Fanshawe, also has plenty of scope for progress, while Columnist was touched off at 50-1 in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer and makes his handicap debut here off 103.
SELECTION: POWER FIZZ.
Gorak was fast away, Two Tempting close up, Partisan Hero also well there … the field is strung out going down the far side …. three out, Two Tempting is poised to strike, he’s coming down the middle of the track, this looks all over, Two Tempting beats Partisan Hero after a trouble-free run around the Roodee from his plum draw in one.
Off and running in the 1.30 at Chester …
They are at the post for the first race here at Chester, after which the ITV cameras will switch to Ascot for the 1.50, a seven-furlong handicap for three-year-olds. William Haggas’s Power Fizz is a solid favourite there at around 2-1, having already notched two wins and a second from his three starts this year.
£1.75m Celestial King ready for debut at Ascot
After three days at Chester, the racing bandwagon rolls on to Ascot and Lingfield on Saturday and Raphael Freire’s Celestial King, bought for a record £1.75m by football agent Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing at the Newmarket Breeze-Up sale in April, will make his eagerly-awaited racecourse debut in the novice stakes that opens the Ascot card at 1.30.
Freire has moved into Freemason Lodge, the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute’s former stable, to train exclusively for the ever-expanding Amo operation and is looking forward to getting their latest big-money buy onto the track.
“He looked very impressive at the breeze-ups and he showed lots of speed there,” Freire said on Friday. “It hasn’t slowed him down coming to us and it’s brought him forward.
“Surprisingly, he was a lot greener than we expected, but we see that as a good thing as it leaves us plenty to work on still and he’s there now and he will run on Saturday with a great chance, I think.”
1.30 CHESTER, HANDICAP, 7F 127YD
The field is down to 14 after Never So Brave, in the coffin box out wide, was scratched by Andrew Balding, and the horse at the other end of the starting stalls, Two Tempting in one, is a warm favourite at around 5-2. The six-year-old bounced back to form at Newbury last time after a lacklustre run at Doncaster in March, and while he is not a natural front-runner, Rob Hornby should have him handy enough to strike on the home turn. The eye-catching booking of Ryan Moore for Charlie Hills’s Divine Libra has also prompted some support despite a draw in stall 11, and he is currently 9-2. The theory, presumably, is that as he is a natural hold-up horse anyway, Moore will drop him in and hope to find the gaps as the pacesetters start to tire.
SELECTION: TWO TEMPTING (nb).
It is a sumptuous afternoon here at Chester, and a near-capacity crowd is converging on the Roodee for the most popular day of the week. I cannot recommend it enough as a track – and a city – to visit, and it is even possible to watch all the action for free, from the Roman walls alongside the home stretch.
Preamble
Good afternoon from Chester on the final day of the track’s May meeting, when after two days of stepping stones to Epsom’s Classics and the Royal meeting at Ascot, the big race is all about backing a winner at decent odds in the here and now. The Chester Cup is a race for the punters, pure and simple, and they have been cramming onto the Roodee in the hope of returning home with a lot more money in their pockets ever since Doge Of Venice took the first running all the way back in 1824 (barely a quarter of a century after the abdication of the last actual Doge of Venice in 1797).
It is, when all’s said and done, just a handicap. But like the Grand National over jumps, the fact that the Chester Cup is a handicap also means that it is not a race that can be won simply by throwing enough money at it. It adds to the fascination. You could hatch a plot to get a horse into this race with a handicap mark a stone short of its true ability, and it could still be frustrated by the draw or bad luck in running as the field makes two circuits of Britain’s tightest track.
Aidan O’Brien won the Chester Vase for the 11th time on Wednesday, and picked up a 12th Dee Stakes yesterday. But in its 201-year history, no trainer – or jockey – has ever won the Chester Cup more than four times, and it took the super-shrewd Barry Hills nearly 30 years to get those wins with Arapahos (1980), Rainbow High (1999 & 2001) and Daraahem (2009).
The Chester Cup is due off at 3.05, and the card’s main supporting race, the 10-furlong Huxley Stakes – the only Group Two event at the three-day meeting – is at 2.35. The sun is out at Chester, the going is good and we’re under way at 1.30.
