Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
2026 Chester Cup Preview
First run in 1824, the Chester Cup, staged on the final day of the Chester May Meeting, is one of the big betting handicaps of the flat season.
Run over two miles, two and a half furlongs for four-year-olds and upwards, with over £85k going to the winner.
This marathon trip around the tight turns of Chester is a unique test and has seen many top dual-purpose horses win this valuable prize down the years.
There have been nine dual winners, including the great Sea Pigeon back in 1977 and 1978, the most recent being Anak Pekan in 2004 and 2005.
It's one of the few races over this trip where the draw can be an important factor, with Chester riding like you are always on the 'turn', being able to hold a decent position and not finding yourself out too wide are important factors.
Chester Cup Information:
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Chester tips on the day of the race. Do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist, or are they predicting other runners? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal races during the Chester May Meeting section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2025
How competitive is the Chester Cup market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2011 when the race had an over-round of 119%. The race in 2016 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 130%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Chester Cup, the over-round has been 125%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £125 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Chester Cup Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Chester Cup Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Chester Cup races over the last 20 renewals:
- Greenwich Meantime (3:58.89) in 2007
- Zoffee (3:59.16) in 2024
- Overturn (3:59.39) in 2011
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Chester Cup next time out, then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -8.00. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Chester Cup, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
Over the last 20 renewals, it was Greenwich Meantime, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by Paul Hanagan, who set the fastest winning time in the Chester Cup. That runner won the race in a time of 3:58.89 in 2007. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Mark Johnston and jockey Franny Norton with Making Miracles who set the slowest winning time; the race-winning time was 4:33.09 in the 2019 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Chester Cup Past Winners
Here are the Chester Cup past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. Also detailed is the stall where the horse came from and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Chester Cup are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 (165k) 4:05.76 | East India Dock (GB) 4yo 8-8 (6 of 15) 9/4F | Harry Davies James Owen (GB) |
| 2024 (165k) 3:59.16 | Zoffee (GB) 8yo 8-7 (1 of 16) 9/1 | Harry Davies Hugo Palmer (GB) |
| 2023 (150k) 4:15.48 | Metier (IRE) 7yo 9-1 (14 of 16) 5/1 | Saffie Osborne Harry Fry (GB) |
| 2022 (150k) 4:04.13 | Cleveland (IRE) 4yo 9-0 (10 of 14) 6/1 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 (125k) 4:07.11 | Falcon Eight (IRE) 6yo 9-10 (10 of 16) 15/2 | Frankie Dettori D K Weld (IRE) |
| 2019 (150k) 4:33.09 | Making Miracles (GB) 4yo 9-0 (16 of 15) 16/1 | Franny Norton Mark Johnston (GB) |
| 2018 (150k) 4:02.90 | Magic Circle (IRE) 6yo 9-3 (6 of 16) 8/1 | Fran Berry Ian Williams (GB) |
| 2017 (120k) 4:03.37 | Montaly (GB) 6yo 9-6 (2 of 17) 16/1 | Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2016 (120k) 4:10.48 | No Heretic (GB) 8yo 8-13 (4 of 17) 11/1 | Jamie Spencer Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2015 (120k) 4:12.87 | Trip To Paris (IRE) 4yo 8-9 (11 of 17) 10/1 | Graham Lee Ed Dunlop (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Chester Cup have been based:
- GB: 18 winners with an additional 49 placings from 295 runners
- IRE: 2 winners with an additional 8 placings from 32 runners
Chester Cup Trainer Statistics
There are multiple leading trainers in the Chester Cup over the last 20 renewals, with Ian Williams, Richard Fahey, and Donald McCain having all won the race two times. Ian Williams winners have been with Bulwark (2008) and Magic Circle (2018). Richard Fahey winners have been with Greenwich Meantime (2007) and Address Unknown (2013). Donald McCain winners have been with Overturn (2011) and Ile De Re (2012).
Here are some of the top Chester Cup trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Williams | 24-2-4 | +19.00 | +11.63 |
| Richard Fahey | 21-2-9 | +7.00 | +11.14 |
| Donald McCain | 10-2-3 | +7.50 | +3.07 |
| Andrew Balding | 14-1-4 | +3.00 | +0.31 |
| D K Weld | 8-1-4 | +0.50 | +2.32 |
| Ed Dunlop | 7-1-2 | +4.00 | +1.25 |
| Hugo Palmer | 7-1-4 | +3.00 | +5.01 |
| Nicky Henderson | 6-1-2 | +6.00 | +4.88 |
| David Pipe | 4-1-1 | +4.00 | +1.38 |
| A P O'Brien | 4-1-1 | +3.00 | +0.75 |
Chester Cup Jockey Statistics
There are multiple leading jockeys in the Chester Cup over the last 20 renewals, with Ryan Moore, Jamie Spencer, Jim Crowley, and Harry Davies having all won the race two times. Ryan Moore winners have been with Suegioo (2014) and Cleveland (2022). Jamie Spencer's winners have been with Address Unknown (2013) and No Heretic (2016). Jim Crowley winners have been with Bulwark (2008) and Ile De Re (2012). Harry Davies' winners have been with Zoffee (2024) and East India Dock (2025). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Chester Cup, Joe Fanning has ridden 11 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Chester Cup jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore | 16-2-3 | +2.00 | -2.37 |
| Jamie Spencer | 14-2-6 | +11.00 | +9.58 |
| Jim Crowley | 9-2-3 | +36.00 | +23.51 |
| Harry Davies | 4-2-3 | +9.25 | +6.29 |
| Franny Norton | 12-1-4 | +5.00 | +7.13 |
| J F Egan | 7-1-2 | +22.00 | +12.34 |
| Frankie Dettori | 7-1-3 | +1.50 | +1.82 |
| Oisin Murphy | 5-1-4 | +12.00 | +9.69 |
| Saffie Osborne | 2-1-1 | +4.00 | +2.13 |
| Joe Fanning | 11-0-1 | -11.00 | -8.75 |
2026 Chester Cup Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 5, 8, 2, 5, 7, 1, 12, (3, 5, 11), (5, 7), 4, 2, 12, 12, 5, 9, (7, 9), (2, 5), 3, 4, 1
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Not on GS/FM/STD-SLW (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Not on STD-SLW/STD (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Carried 124 - 133lbs (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Ran over 7f - 1m4f (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 16/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Fewer than 3 races (Course)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Ran in 4 - 39 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Within the first 14 of the market
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No bigger than 33/1
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Held an OR of 86+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Achieved a TS of 67+ (Last 5)
- 19 / 20 (84%) - No more than +3yrs (Vs Min Age)
- 18 / 20 (72%) - Achieved an RPR of 98+ (Last 5)
- 18 / 20 (80%) - Achieved a TS of 48+ (Last Win)
- 18 / 20 (83%) - No older than a 7yo
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Chester racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Chester Cup. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Chester Cup by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Chester Cup Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +61.25, is when runners had 0 season starts.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran in a Flat (AW) race last time out, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-65.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 6 (8,4) [15 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 1 (7,10,4) [16 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 14 (3,2,7) [16 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 10 (2,1) [14 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 10 (11,2,8) [16 Runners]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Chester Cup are Newmarket (Rowley), Aintree and Ripon; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with the Male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 313 runners, whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 14 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Chester Cup; that stallion Galileo, has produced 2 winners (2021,2016).
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Chester Cup despite multiple attempts:
- Hurricane Run (0 Wins from 9 runners)
- Frankel (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Singspiel (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Sadlers Wells (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- Authorized (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Bulwark in 2008, winning for Ian Williams at odds of 33/1 under the guidance of Jim Crowley. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 2 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Chester Cup, head over to see which other runners today are being backed by the best racing tipsters.
Route to the Chester Cup
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to the Chester Cup, these are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - East India Dock Cheltenham - 3rd of 17 (5/4) | Triumph Hurdle |
| 2024 - Zoffee Newbury - 5th of 6 (7/1) | BetVictor Non-Runner-No-Bet At Cheltenham Seniors Handicap Hurdle |
| 2023 - Metier Musselburgh - 2nd of 14 (8/1) | Queens Cup |
| 2022 - Cleveland Naas - 5th of 7 (14/1) | Plusvital Devoy Stakes |
| 2021 - Falcon Eight Curragh - 4th of 7 (11/2) | Comer Group International Vintage Crop Stakes |
| 2019 - Making Miracles Ripon - 1st of 7 (11/10) | Visit attheraces.com Handicap |
| 2018 - Magic Circle Newmarket (Rowley) - 13th of 34 (25/1) | Cesarewitch |
| 2017 - Montaly Doncaster - 15th of 15 (12/1) | Betfred November Handicap |
| 2016 - No Heretic Newbury - 3rd of 15 (6/1) | John Haine Memorial Novices Hurdle |
| 2015 - Trip To Paris Ripon - 1st of 9 (8/1) | At The Races Sky 415 Handicap |
Other Principal races during the Chester May Meeting
Remember to head over to the Chester predictions page to see which runner the racing tipsters are supporting in the Chester Cup. Below are the other principal races that we cover during the May Meeting, with links to each race blog as well as information for last year's winners.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire Oaks Wednesday | Minnie Hauk (IRE) 3yo - 13/8 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Chester Vase Wednesday | Lambourn (IRE) 3yo - 11/8 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Dee Stakes Thursday | Mount Kilimanjaro (FR) 3yo - 1/1 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Ormonde Stakes Thursday | Illinois (IRE) 4yo - 6/5 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Huxley Stakes Friday | The Foxes (IRE) 5yo - 13/8 | Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy |
| Chester Cup Friday | East India Dock (GB) 4yo - 9/4 | James Owen Harry Davies |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this Chester Cup Preview are at hand, Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for Flat Racing.
Darren Brett
Tipster Competition Manager
Andy Powell
Content Editor
