The Chester Cup is one of the most famous staying handicaps of the season in Britain on the Flat and the standout race of the year on the Roodee. £170,000 in prize-money is up for grabs and this is a typically competitive running of one of the spring’s great betting puzzles.
A field of 16 has been declared for Friday’s big race, and our betting expert has picked out their best tips ahead of the Chester Cup taking place at 3pm.
By Luke Seychell
Chester Cup Betting Odds
East India Dock – 4/1
Leinster – 9/2
Who’s Glen – 5/1
Caballo De Mar – 6/1
Hot Fuss – 8/1
Zoffee – 10/1
Divine Comedy – 11/1
Emiyn – 12/1
Spirit Mixer – 14/1
Dawn Rising – 16/1
Duke Of Oxford – 16/1
Charging Thunder – 22/1
Chemistry – 33/1
Morning Air – 33/1
Bashful Boy – 33/1
Vaguely Royal – 50/1
Chester Cup Betting Tips
- NAP: Who’s Glen @ 5/1 with Betfred
- Next Best: Caballo De Mar @ 6/1 with Betfred
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Glen’s the answer
Andrew Balding is one of the best performing trainers at Chester, operating at a 20 per cent strike-rate over the past five years at the track for an impressive +£30.43 level-stakes profit before Friday’s racing.
He has previous in the Chester Cup, having won it in 2017 and saddling top-class stayer Coltrane to finish a neck second in the 2022 running.
Who’s Glen, the stable first string over course specialist Spirit Mixer with Oisin Murphy electing to ride, is backed to go one place better for the trainer.
The son of Gleneagles looked an ideal candidate for the Chester Cup when he stormed clear for a 13-length success in a heavy-ground 1m6½f handicap at the course in September.
Stamina is Who’s Glen’s forte and he reinforced that notion when staying on strongly into second in the Queen’s Prize over 2m at Kempton on his comeback in March.
The time of that race was rock-solid and Who’s Glen’s lack of a recent outing probably just cost him, with the winner hard-fit from racing on the all-weather over the winter.
While Murphy will need to be on his A-game from stall 10 and a quick surface is an unknown, Who’s Glen’s sire loved it fast and his Group-winning dam was fine on decent ground. He can overcome a 1lb rise for the Kempton effort.
- Chester Cup Betting Tip 1: NAP – Who’s Glen @ 8/1 with Paddy Power
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In-form De Mar a threat
There are dangers aplenty among the chasing pack and support for East India Dock is understandable. Among the leading juvenile hurdlers of his generation, East India Dock is potentially thrown in on this return to the Flat.
Perhaps he doesn’t want such a searching stamina test, and the same applies to fellow dual-purpose performer Hot Fuss, who ran a cracker in the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival when last seen. He’d prefer softer conditions, and Caballo De Mar has to be of interest as an alternative to Who’s Glen.
The rapidly improving four-year-old is 5lb well-in under his 3lb penalty after dotting up in a Class 2 at Southwell 12 days ago, landing his fourth staying handicap in a row on the all-weather.
Caballo De Mar’s progression is scarcely believable as he won a Class 5 handicap less than two months ago and he won’t look out of place in this deeper field.
The only concern is the switch to the turf, but the Phoenix Of Spain gelding ran a career best the last time he encountered the grass, and there is no reason why he won’t be able to translate his recent exploits to this different surface.
- Chester Cup Betting Tip 2: Next Best – Caballo De Mar @ 11/2 with William Hill
