The curtain falls on the Chester May Festival this Friday, with the prestigious Chester Cup taking center stage. A competitive field of 17 horses is set to contest the feature race, promising an exciting finale to the three-day meeting.
Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien holds a strong hand, saddling three runners including the prominent Galileo Dame. This contender arrives following a solid preparation at Navan in March and represents a significant challenge from the six-strong Irish raiding party. O'Brien also sends out the experienced stayer A Piece Of Heaven and Puturhandstogether, who faces a tough task from the widest stall draw.
They will face stiff competition from Blindedbythelights, trained by Sir Mark Prescott. This runner has shown consistent form, finishing second in his last four outings, including a promising effort at Kempton in March. He benefits from a favorable draw in stall four.
Another key contender is Andrew Balding's Berkshire Sundance, who captured the Easter Plate last month. The question for him is whether he can replicate his excellent all-weather form on the turf surface at Chester.
The undercard features a compelling Group Two Huxley Stakes. Derby hero Lambourn returns to the track where he won the Chester Vase last year before his Epsom triumph. He faces eight rivals, including fellow Group One winner Bay City Roller, who concluded last season with a dominant victory in Germany. Bay City Roller must concede 5lb to the favorite, a significant penalty.
The Chester Plate also offers intrigue, with Kingstonian making his debut for the Joseph O'Brien yard after transferring from Mrs. John Harrington in November. He remains an unexposed prospect for his new, shrewd connections. Tony Martin's Hamsiyann, under jockey Oisin Murphy, is another to watch in that contest.
Based on reporting from SkySports | News.