DOC MARWAN KNOWS HOW TO WIN THIS

Andy Newton hands out the clues to solve the Chester Cup

- Andy Newton

Last May was a write-off on the racing front, so this month’s Chester Cup is being run for the first time since 2019 during the popular Chester May Meeting, set to be staged between 5th-7th May.

The race used to be run on the opening day of the meeting but has now been rightly moved to the Friday – which gives the fixture the chance to build up to this 2m 2f handicap.

Being run over 2m2f on the Flat, then it’s also a race the jumps trainers tend to have on their radars – backed up by the likes of David Pipe, Donald McCain and Nicky Henderson having all won the race in the last ten runnings.

So, what are the other key trends to note?

Age – In 2016, we saw an 8-year-old, No Heretic, land the race, but since 1986 all bar that winner were aged 7 or younger. In more recent years, 17 of the last 18 winners were aged 7 or younger too, while 13 of the last 18 successful horses were aged 5, 6 or 7. That said, you certainly can’t rule out the 4-year-olds, with the last winner in 2019 – Making Miracles – this age, while we’ve had two 4-year-olds go in since 2015. In short, it’s probably best to avoid the older horses (8+) in the race!

Recent Form – With a massive 12 of the last 18 winners having finished unplaced last time out, don’t be too worried if your fancy heads here without some 1’s, 2’s or 3’s next to its name. But having winning form over at least 2m on the Flat in the past is something to look for, while having a run within the last two months is another plus – 12 of the last 18 winners ticked this trend.