Chester Tips: 14/1 Chester Cup fancy among Friday’s interests

| 9th May |

3 mins read

The May Festival at Chester reaches a conclusion on Friday, with an eight-race card featuring the meeting's big betting race - the Chester Cup.

Among my Chester tips for Day 3 is a 14/1 fancy in the latter, plus a couple in the build-up.

Chester Tips

14:05 - Ephesus @ 6/5
15:05 - Israr @ 7/2
15:40 - Aqwaam e/w (5 places) @ 14/1

14:05 - Ephesus @ 6/5

Aidan O' Brien's EPHESUS ought to prove very tough to beat in this maiden over 1m4½f.

The three-year-old son of Galileo made his racecourse debut at Dundalk just under a month ago and was a highly-promising third, beaten just over two lengths by his more-fancied stablemate London City.

He really caught the eye in defeat that day. The King Edward VII Stakes-entered colt broke slowly and raced in rear for the first half of the contest, before making good headway down the straight, finishing particularly strongly.

I suspect that's already the standard in this field of nine and he's open to a significant amount of improvement - especially upped in trip straight away.

This is a modest event and if he's going to even dream about taking in a Group 2 at Royal Ascot next month, he wants to be winning this in good fashion.

15:05 - Israr @ 7/2

At time of publication, Passenger is our marginal favourite for the G2 Huxley Stakes. He's clearly riddled with ability, but this is his first run in 258 days for a yard who normally take a while to get going, so I'm taking him on.

John & Thady Gosden are going great guns at the moment which bodes well for ISRAR - my idea of the winner.

Not only is the five-year-old the highest-rated horse in the field, but he's race-fit having finished second in the G3 Gordon Richard Stakes at Sandown a couple of weeks ago.

He travelled like a good thing the last day but was gradually reeled in up the hill by two classy rivals. Stripping fitter and over an 'easier' course, I'm expecting a big run from the son of Muhaarar.

15:40 - Aqwaam e/w (5 places) @ 14/1

Last but certainly not least, we've got the Chester Cup - the big handicap of the week, over 2m2½f, with £86,632 awarded to the winner.

Of the 17 intended runners, it's Ian Williams' AQWAAM that gets my vote.

The six-year-old son of the great Sea The Stars has an excellent record over two miles and further. It reads 12317, with the latter mishap an excusable one.

It - a handicap on the all-weather at Kempton - came just a week after a career-best win at Lingfield, landing a £33k pot in the process.

Put a line through that and off a mark of 90, just four pounds higher than at Lingfield, with Chester specialist Franny Norton in the plate, he looks the best bet to me.

Betfred are paying five places on the Chester Cup, so this one is an each-way suggestion.