You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 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:
Why not use the trends shortlist below to help you narrow down the field and then head over to the dedicated Chester tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG expert racing tipsters to find yourself a bet? 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 2026
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 2027 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. Ahead of the 2027 Chester Cup, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
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 race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed is the stall from which the horse came 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4:01.19 | A Piece Of Heaven (FR) 8yo 9-6 (1 of 15) 7/1 | Dylan Browne McMonagle Joseph Patrick O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2025 4:05.76 | East India Dock (GB) 4yo 8-8 (6 of 15) 9/4F | Harry Davies James Owen (GB) |
| 2024 3:59.16 | Zoffee (GB) 8yo 8-7 (1 of 16) 9/1 | Harry Davies Hugo Palmer (GB) |
| 2023 4:15.48 | Metier (IRE) 7yo 9-1 (14 of 16) 5/1 | Saffie Osborne Harry Fry (GB) |
| 2022 4:04.13 | Cleveland (IRE) 4yo 9-0 (10 of 14) 6/1 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 4:07.11 | Falcon Eight (IRE) 6yo 9-10 (10 of 16) 15/2 | Frankie Dettori D K Weld (IRE) |
| 2019 4:33.09 | Making Miracles (GB) 4yo 9-0 (16 of 15) 16/1 | Franny Norton Mark Johnston (GB) |
| 2018 4:02.90 | Magic Circle (IRE) 6yo 9-3 (6 of 16) 8/1 | Fran Berry Ian Williams (GB) |
| 2017 4:03.37 | Montaly (GB) 6yo 9-6 (2 of 17) 16/1 | Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2016 4:10.48 | No Heretic (GB) 8yo 8-13 (4 of 17) 11/1 | Jamie Spencer Nicky Henderson (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Chester Cup have been based:
- GB: 17 winners with an additional 48 placings from 289 runners
- IRE: 3 winners with an additional 8 placings from 36 runners
2026 Chester Cup Replay
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 twice. Ian Williams winners have been with Bulwark (2008) and Magic Circle (2018). Richard Fahey's 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 | 16-1-4 | +1.00 | -1.69 |
| 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 |
| Joseph Patrick O'Brien | 6-1-1 | +2.00 | -0.62 |
| David Pipe | 4-1-1 | +4.00 | +1.38 |
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 twice. Ryan Moore's 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 10 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 | 17-2-3 | +1.00 | -3.37 |
| Jamie Spencer | 13-2-6 | +12.00 | +10.58 |
| 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 | 6-1-2 | +23.00 | +13.34 |
| Oisin Murphy | 6-1-4 | +11.00 | +8.69 |
| Saffie Osborne | 2-1-1 | +4.00 | +2.13 |
| Dylan Browne McMonagle | 1-1-1 | +7.00 | +4.38 |
| Joe Fanning | 10-0-1 | -10.00 | -7.75 |
2027 Chester Cup Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 8, 2, 5, 7, 1, 12, (3, 5, 11), (5, 7), 4, 2, 12, 12, 5, 9, (7, 9), (2, 5), 3, 4, 1, 7
The percentage shown is the proportion 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 (79%) - Not on STD-SLW/STD (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Furthest Won 1m1f - 2m½f
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Carried 124 - 154lbs (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 16/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Fewer than 3 races (Course)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No bigger than 33/1
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Within the first 14 of the market
- 20 / 20 (89%) - In a field of 7 - 25 (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Ran over 7f - 2m (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Ran in 4 - 39 races (Career)
- 19 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 66/1 (Career)
- 18 / 20 (72%) - Achieved an RPR of 98+ (Last 5)
- 18 / 20 (82%) - Achieved a TS of 80+ (Career)
- 18 / 20 (85%) - No more than +3yrs (Vs Min Age)
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 +49.25, 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 0-69.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2026: Winner in 1 (8,16) [15 Runners]
- 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]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Chester Cup are Aintree and Ripon; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 310 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 15 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:
- Frankel (0 Wins from 9 runners)
- Hurricane Run (0 Wins from 9 runners)
- Singspiel (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Authorized (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Dansili (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 2027 Chester Cup, head over to see which runners the best racing tipsters are tipping today.
Route to the Chester Cup
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Chester Cup. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - A Piece Of Heaven Curragh - 2nd of 7 (11/2) | Your Game. Your Odds. Your 1xBet.ie Stayers Trophy 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) | Queen's 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 Handicap |
| 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 |
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 | Amelia Earhart (IRE) 3yo - 13/8 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Chester Vase Wednesday | Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) 3yo - 2/9 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Dee Stakes Thursday | Constitution River (FR) 3yo - 2/9 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Ormonde Stakes Thursday | Jan Brueghel (IRE) 5yo - 4/7 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Huxley Stakes Friday | Lambourn (IRE) 4yo - 6/4 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Chester Cup Friday | A Piece Of Heaven (FR) 8yo - 7/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Chester Cup Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
