A maximum field of 18 is set to go to post for the £120,000 totesport Chester Cup (2.30pm) on Wednesday (May 4), the first day of Chester’s May Festival.
As many as 30 horses were declared for the famous and historic handicap this morning at the 48-hour declaration stage. But with a safety limit of 18, 10 were eliminated while two are reserves - Stoop To Conquer and Calamintha - who can be utilised if there are any non-runners before 11.30am on Tuesday, May 3.
The 18 declared runners include last year’s winner, third, fourth and fifth, Anak Pekan, Big Moment, Distant Prospect and Mana d’Argent.
Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, jockey Kieren Fallon and owners Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier, fresh from winning both the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the weekend, have their first totesport Chester Cup runner in Coconut Beach.
Damian Walker, the totesport spokesman, said: "Coconut Beach is our worst ante-post loser for the totesport Chester Cup and we expect punters to plunge on the Aidan O'Brien-trained runner following the stable's Guineas double at the weekend.
“Coconut Beach is well drawn in stall six and will have the assistance of the brilliant Kieren Fallon in the saddle.”
Dr Sharp is another runner and he comes into the race, which is run over two miles, two furlongs and 147 yards, after winning a Doncaster handicap over a similar distance on April 1.
His trainer Tom Tate said: “Dr Sharp is fine after the Doncaster race in which he stayed on well and, if he does that again, he should give a good account of himself.”
Dr Sharp won on his only previous appearance at Chester in the Blue Square Games Handicap in August last year.
Tate continued: “It’s definitely a good thing that he’s already won at Chester and we’re going there hopeful.”
The Mark Johnston-trained trio of the lightly-raced Swift Sailor, who is the 11/2 favourite with the sponsors, Contact Dancer, the 2004 totesport Cesarewitch hero, and Ascot specialist Mana d’Argent should provide strong challenges.
Johnston said: “Swift Sailor is a very inexperienced horse for the totesport Chester Cup but he's done nothing wrong. He worked very well the other day. Royston Ffrench will ride Contact Dancer and Kevin will be on Swift Sailor, which will be his minimum weight but he says he wants to do it, which could be an indication of what he thinks of the horse.”
Cold Turkey, the Queen’s Prize winner at Kempton last month, represents trainer Gary Moore and fellow Sussex-based trainer Amanda Perrett is hoping for another good run from Big Moment, who was second in 2003 as well as finishing third last year.
Two trainers are hoping that the going will not turn too soft - Philip Hobbs and Jamie Poulton. Hobbs has declared Unleash, second over hurdles at Cheltenham on April 13, and wants to run the six-year-old.
The trainer, based near Minehead in Somerset, said: “The plan is to run Unleash in the totesport Chester Cup if the ground does not become soft - he really wants good going or faster.
“He is fine after his recent outing over hurdles at Cheltenham which hopefully will have put him right as he had not run for over a year before that.
“I think he did need the Cheltenham run but the fact that he has not appeared on the Flat for a long time should not be a problem.”
Unleash, who has had just two runs over hurdles in the last two years, was a good handicap stayer on the Flat, last appearing on the level in October, 2003. He won the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle earlier that year.
Poulton, whose stables are in East Sussex, has Land ‘N Stars in the totesport Chester Cup. He said: “He’s well but we would like good ground - the quicker the going the better for him. Let’s hope the rain keeps away.
“He did though run well on soft ground when sixth in the totesport Cesarewitch last year. We hope he is bit stronger as a five-year-old this year and can build into a good stayer.”
totesport bet 11/2 Swift Sailor, 7 Coconut Beach, 9 Dr Sharp, 10 Contact Dancer, 11 Anak Pekan, 11 Cold Turkey, 11 Unleash, 12 Big Moment, 12 Land ‘N Stars, 12 Larkwing, 16 Balyan, 16 Copeland, 16 High Point, 25 Distant Prospect, 25 King Revo, 25 Mana d’Argent, 25 Romany Prince and 33 Tees Components. Reserves 25 Stoop to Conquer (Res 1) and16 Calamintha (Res 2)
The main supporting race on Wednesday is the £50,000 Listed Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks (2pm) over an extended one mile and three furlongs. This year the race is being run for the Robert Sangster Cup, which honours the late Robert Sangster who grew up locally, had his Swettenham Stud close by and made no secret of the fact that Chester’s May Festival was his favourite meeting. He was also a steward at Chester for many years.
The Lucy Sangster-owned Faint Heart, trained by David Wachman, is due to run. She won a fillies’ maiden at Tralee in August and has been subsequently placed in three Listed and Group events including the Salsabil Stakes at Navan on her last start on April 16, when finding just Allexina three and a half lengths too good.
Mrs Sangster is the wife of Ben Sangster, one of Robert’s sons, and there would be no more poignant moment than if the Sadler’s Wells filly, who was bred by Ben and Robert, could take this one-off Robert Sangster Cup.
There have also been excellent entries for the second and third days of Chester’s May Festival, on Thursday, May 5, and Friday, May 6, with 16 in the £65,000 MBNA Europe Bank Chester Vase and 22 in the £65,000 Dee Stakes sponsored by Aberdeen, Murray Johnstone & Halliwells - the two Derby trials.
Clerk of the course Ed Gretton, who today reported the current going to be Good To Soft, said: “The totesport Chester Cup is as popular as ever and is the tremendous centrepiece of the first day of the Chester May Festival while the entries for later in the week have been very encouraging.
“We could have a shower or two later today and some rain is forecast for tomorrow but it is meant to be dry throughout the three days of the Chester Festival.”
THE totesport CHESTER CUP
Class 2, Heritage Handicap, £120,000 Total Prize Fund. Chester, 2.30pm, Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 2m 2f 147yds. For 4yo+. Lowest weight 7st 12lb; highest weight not less than 9st 10lb. Entries closed April 13, entries & weights revealed April 20 (51 entries), five-day confirmation stage April 29, final declaration stage 10.00am, May 2. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Sunday, May 1
Form Horse Ag/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey
1) 332550- ROMANY PRINCE 6-9-10 J B Webb Steve Gollings -
2) 113000- ANAK PEKAN 5-9-06 HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah Michael Jarvis Philip Robinson
3) 356221- BIG MOMENT 7-9-02 R Doel, A Black, Dr J Howells, R & P Scott Amanda Perrett Johnny Murtagh
4) 05/1440/- UNLEASH (USA) 6-9-01 Patricia Thompson Philip Hobbs Jamie Spencer
5) (1)(2)(4)1 COLD TURKEY 5-8-13 A Grinter Gary Moore Darryll Holland
6) 35010/6/- TEES COMPONENTS 10-8-12 Tees Components Ltd Keith Reveley Tony Culhane
7) 00302-0 DISTANT PROSPECT (IRE) 8-8-10 The Rae Smiths and Pauline Gale Andrew Balding Martin Dwyer
8) 511- BALYAN (IRE) 4-8-05 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson Robert Winston
9) 56/6413- CONTACT DANCER (IRE)6-8-05 Michael Watt Mark Johnston Royston Ffrench
10) 11-5 COCONUT BEACH 4-8-05 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE Kieren Fallon
11) 41365-(1) LAND 'N STARS 5-8-04 Paul Blows Jamie Poulton John Egan
12) 31-1 SWIFT SAILOR 4-8-03 Maktoum Al Maktoum Mark Johnston Kevin Darley
13) 61042-1 DR SHARP (IRE) 5-8-03 The Ivy Syndicate Tom Tate Eddie Ahern
14) 160(4)/10- KING REVO (IRE) 5-8-02 Dick Renwick & Mrs C Barclay Patrick Haslam Neil Pollard
15) 42//00///- COPELAND 10-8-02 Professor David & Heather Silk Martin Pipe Chris Catlin
16) 125S0-3 LARKWING (IRE) 4-8-01 Mollers Racing Geoff Wragg Richard Mullen
17) 05(0)-(0)30 MANA D'ARGENT (IRE) 8-8-00 Francis Mahon Mark Johnston -
18) 0513-(0)5 HIGH POINT (IRE) 7-7-12 The Aedean Partnership Gerry Enright Frannie Norton
R1) 014101- STOOP TO CONQUER 5-7-12 Seasons Holidays Tony Carroll
R2)26135-1 CALAMINTHA 5-7-11 David Jenks Martin Pipe
ELIMINATED
GARDEN SOCIETY (IRE)
VALANCE (IRE)
SERBELLONI
KRISTENSEN
THEATRE (USA)
MASTER WELLS (IRE)
INCHPAST
DUNE RAIDER (USA)
GREENWICH MEANTIME
TELL THE TREES
ROOSTER BOOSTER ENTERED FOR SATURDAY’S BIG HAYDOCK PARK HURDLE
Rooster Booster, the winner of the 2003 Champion Hurdle, is set to carry top-weight in the £70,000 Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle (1.50pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday, May 7, after being one of the 31 entries made today for the first big hurdle of the new season.
Trainer Philip Hobbs said this afternoon: “I’ve entered Rooster Booster and, all being well, he will run on Saturday.”
The very popular hurdler, now 11 years old, returned to form last time out at Sandown, winning the Concept Hurdle on April 22 by four lengths from Self Defense.
Retirement had been contemplated for the grey after that race but, following discussions between the trainer and owner Terry Warner, the plan is to carry on.
Rooster Booster has some formidable potential opponents including Royal Shakespeare who was going so well in the Concept Hurdle when falling in the lead two out. The third that day Perouse is one of two entries from Paul Nicholls, just beaten by old rival Martin Pipe for the trainers’ championship last season (which ended on April 23). Pipe himself has made three entries, Copeland, Fontanesi and Penny Pictures.
Genghis, trained in Wales by Peter Bowen, completed a magnificent four-timer when winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle from Royal Shakespeare at Ayr on April 16, while there are seven Irish-trained horses among the entries.
Both Jessica Harrington, successful last year with Macs Joy, and Michael Hourigan have two potential runners. The former could be represented by recent Punchestown third Callow Lake and Star Horse while the latter has Kilbeggan Lad and King Carew engaged.
Noel Meade’s Definate Spectacle, a winner at Aintree last month, Tom Hogan’s Mags Benefit, second at Punchestown last week, and Sandra McCarthy’s Eye Candy are the three other Irish hopes.
Kirkland Tellwright, Haydock’s clerk of the course, reported the going today to be Good (watering) on the hurdles course and Soft on the Flat course. The forecast is maybe for some rain in the next 24 hours but then dry.
STANLEYBET HANDICAP HURDLE HISTORY
This year sees the 27th running of the Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle, formerly the Swinton, which is the first big race of the new 2005/2006 jump season which started on April 24.
Always a very competitive handicap which attracts a large field, the Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle carries prize money of £70,000. Previous winners have gone on to be leading performers at the very highest level.
After the great Fred Rimell sent out the winner, Royal Gaye, of the inaugural running in 1978, the following year’s Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle went to the Bob Turnell-trained Beacon Light, who earlier in 1979 had been third to Monksfield and Sea Pigeon in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The same combination of owner Jim Joel, trainer Bob Turnell and jockey Andy Turnell teamed up again for victory with Secret Ballot in 1982.
Rimell gained his second victory in the space of four years when Gaye Chance entered the winner’s enclosure in 1981. Three years later, after Mercy Rimell had taken over the reins from her late husband, Gaye Chance won at the Cheltenham Festival, taking the Stayers’ Hurdle by one and a half lengths from Goldspun while his full-brother Gaye Brief captured the 1983 Champion Hurdle.
The 1984 Haydock Park winner Bajan Sunshine was a versatile performer over hurdles and on the Flat. In addition to winning the Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle, he was successful in one of the 1983 Flat season’s major handicaps, the Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
Champion jump trainer Martin Pipe had the first of his three successes with Corporal Clinger in 1985. The master of Nicholashayne also struck with Tragic Hero in 1996 and Rainbow Frontier two seasons later.
Inlander landed a famous win for the “handicap king” Reg Akehurst in 1987, while Past Glories, the first of two successive winners for trainer Bill Elsey, in 1988 followed by State Jester in 1989, was another Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle winner to be subsequently placed in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle. He was only beaten three and three-quarter lengths into third by Kribensis, despite his 150/1 starting price in the 1990 Cheltenham showpiece.
In 1991 the father/son partnership of Ken and David Bridgwater teamed up for success with the mare Winnie The Witch, who had landed the County Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier in the year.
More recently, Irish trainer Tony Martin launched one of his famous raids on major British prizes when She’s Our Mare was successful in 1999.
Just over two months later Martin returned with She’s Our Mare to the Lancashire course for one of Haydock’s best Flat events, the Old Newton Cup - she came third then to Celestial Welcome. Later that year the daughter of Commanche Run captured another of Britain’s major Flat handicaps, the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
Three years ago Intersky Falcon was successful in the Stanleybet Handicap Hurdle for trainer Jonjo O’Neill, who also won the Haydock hurdle as a jockey on the Peter Easterby-trained No Bombs in 1980.
Intersky Falcon has gone on to win a number of top prizes including two Grade One Christmas Hurdles at Kempton and also came third to Hardy Eustace in the 2004 Smurfit Champion Hurdle.
The 2003 renewal was won by the Richard Fahey-trained Altay, who was given a brilliant ride by conditional jockey Padgh Whelan to master Patsy Veale by half a length in a tremendous finish.
Last year Macs Joy became the third Irish winner, coming home two and a half lengths clear of Dancing Bay to justify favouritism. The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding went on to prove himself a top-class performer with wins in two Grade One events at Leopardstown in December, 2004, and January, 2005.
STANLEYBET HANDICAP HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR
YEAR HORSE AGE/WGT OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY SP RAN
2004 Macs Joy 5-10-0 Mac’s J Racing Syndicate Jessica Harrington IRE Timmy Murphy 4/1F 19
2003 Altay 6-9-11 R M Jeffs & J Potter Richard Fahey Padgh Whelan 13/2 14
2002 Intersky Falcon 5-11-10 Interskyracing.com and Jacqui O’Neill Jonjo O’Neill Liam Cooper 11/2 11
2001 Milligan 6-11-4 George Leatham Venetia Williams Norman Williamson10/1 23
2000 Mirjan 4-10-6 Miss S Blumberg Len Lungo Tony Dobbin 7/1 22
1999 She’s Our Mare 5-11-8 Denise Reddan Tony Martin IRE David Casey 10/1 22
1998 Rainbow Frontier4-10-0 Clive Smith Martin Pipe Charlie Swan 10/1 16
1997 Dreams End 9-11-11 T. G. Price Peter Bowen Leighton Aspell 14/1 19
1996 Tragic Hero 4-10-9 Knight Hawks Partnership Martin Pipe David Bridgwater 9/1 19
1995 Chief Minister 6-11-6 Graham Shiel Tom Dyer Peter Hobbs 16/1 13
1994 Dreams End 6-11-4 T. G Price Philip Hobbs Michael Hourigan10/1 18
1993 Spinning 6-11-0 Paul Mellon Ian Balding Jimmy Frost 3/1 17
1992 Bitofabanter 5-11-1 Mrs. I Loughlane Arthur Moore IRE Tom Taaffe 14/1 22
1991 Winnie The Witch7-10-2Paddocks Thoroughbred Racing Ltd Ken Bridgwater David Bridgwater 8/1 12
1990 Sybillin 4-10-1 Marquesa de Moratalla Jimmy Fitzgerald Derek Byrne 8/1 14
1989 State Jester 6-10-0 Eric Barber Bill Elsey John Quinn 14/1 18
1988 Past Glories 5-11-9 Noel Hetherton Bill Elsey Paddy Farrell 16/1 23
1987 Inlander 6-10-8 Jeff Daniels Reg Akehurst Steve Smith Eccles4/1 8
1986 Prideaux Boy 8-11-2 Graham Roach Graham Roach Martin Bowlby 15/2 20
1985 Corporal Clinger6-10-3 Jay Dee Racing LTD Martin Pipe Paul Leach 11/2 21
1984 Bajan Sunshine 5-10-13 Paul Green Martin Tate Peter Scudamore6/1 15
1983 Abandoned due to water logged ground
1982 Secret Ballot 8-10-3 Jim Joel Bob Turnell Andy Turnell 10/1 17
1981 Gaye Chance 6-10-10 Mrs. M Curtis Fred Rimell Sam Morshead 13/2 18
1980 No Bombs 5-10-9 Snailwell Stud Co Ltd Peter Easterby Jonjo O’Neill 7/1 14
1979 Beacon Light 8-11-1 Jim Joel Bob Turnell Andy Turnell 12/1 17
1978 Royal Gaye 5-10-0 Sir John Hanmer Fred Rimell Colin Tinkler 20/1 20
HAYDOCK PARK’S GREAT CARD ON SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2005
Racing on Saturday, May 7, kicks off with the £27,500-added FREEPHONE STANLEYBET LONG DISTANCE HANDICAP HURDLE (1.20pm) for four-year-olds and upwards over an extended two miles and seven and a half furlongs. This excellent race, which has attracted 30 entries, was won by Scottish raider Kivotos in 2004, while previous winners include Persian Waters (2003), Surprising (2002) and Crazy Horse (2001).
The other five races on the May 7 card are on the Flat and start off with the £10,000-added stanleybet.com FLAT V JUMP JOCKEYS HANDICAP (2.20pm), for four-year-olds and upwards rated 0-70 over a mile.
This event will feature six top jump jockeys competing against six high-profile Flat riders, with two horse reserves waiting in the wings to ensure that each team has six contestants.
The team element will be emphasised by the jockeys wearing distinguishing caps to identify which squad they represent. Last year’s inaugural running of the unusual event saw the Flat boys come out on top.
The principal Flat event is the seven-furlong Listed £28,000 stanleybet.com SPRING TROPHY STAKES (2.50pm), for three-year-olds and upwards who have not won a Group One or Two race after 2003. The Richard Hannon-trained Rockets ‘n Rollers was the successful horse 12 months ago and there are plenty of classy performers among the 22 entries.
The £14,000-added STANLEYBET 0808 100 1221 CONDITIONS STAKES (3.25pm) is run over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upwards who have not won a Pattern race after May 6, 2004. Steenberg was the winning horse last year, beating Bahamian Pirate who later in the season landed the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York. There are 20 entries this year.
The seven-race programme on Saturday, May 7, is completed by the £10,000-added FREEPHONE STANLEYBET HANDICAP (4pm) over six furlongs, which has gained 44 entries, and the £5,000-added stanleybet.com MAIDEN STAKES (4.30pm) over an extended 10 furlongs (37 entries). The winner of the latter race in 2004 was Godolphin’s Destination Dubai.
ORDER OF RUNNING
Time Race Distance Prize Money
1.20pm The Stanleybet Long Distance Handicap Hurdle 2m 7.5f £27,500
1.50pm THE STANLEYBET HANDICAP HURDLE 2m £70,000
2.20pm The stanleybet.com Flat V Jump Jockeys Handicap 1m £10,000
2.50pm The Stanleybet.com Spring Trophy Stakes 7f £28,000
3.25pm The Stanleybet 0808 100 1221 Conditions Stakes 6f £14,000
4pm The Freephone Stanleybet Handicap 6f £10,000
4.30pm The stanleybet.com Maiden Stakes 1m 2f120y £5,000
TOTAL £167,500
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