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 youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Chester Vase Preview
The Group 3 Chester Vase is a race that is open to colts and geldings who are three-year-olds. The race was established in 1907 and is today run over a trip of one mile, four furlongs and sixty-three yards, having originally been run over a furlong further.
The race features during the Chester May Meeting, and you can get some top-class participants in the race, which is because it serves as a trial for the Epsom Derby.
For sponsorship purposes, the 2026 renewal of the Chester Vase will hold the title of 'Boodles Chester Vase Stakes'.
Chester Vase Information:
We also have a dedicated Chester tips page that will cover this race, as well as all the other races on the day. See which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are predicting to win this race and the others on the cards. 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 Vase market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2022, when the race had an over-round of 106%. The race in 2008 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 118%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Chester Vase, the over-round has been 112%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ112 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Chester Vase 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 Vase Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the Chester Vase Trend Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run Chester Vase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Golden Sword (2:33.86) in 2009
- Papal Bull (2:35.24) in 2006
- Soldier Of Fortune (2:35.24) in 2007
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 Vase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -3.50. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Chester Vase, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2023 renewal when Arrest from John & Thady Gosden under the guidance of Frankie Dettori, won in a time of 2:52.31, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Golden Sword, trained by A P O'Brien and ridden by Colm O'Donoghue set the quickest time of 2:33.86 in the 2009 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Chester Vase Past Winners
Here are the Chester Vase 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 Vase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 2:40.12 | Lambourn (IRE) 3yo 9-2 (7 of 8) 11/8F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2024 2:38.89 | Hidden Law (IRE) 3yo 9-2 (2 of 6) 9/4 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2023 2:52.31 | Arrest (IRE) 3yo 9-2 (3 of 5) 10/11F | Frankie Dettori John & Thady Gosden (GB) |
| 2022 2:43.36 | Changingoftheguard (IRE) 3yo 9-2 (2 of 4) 100/30 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 2:45.83 | Youth Spirit (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (4 of 6) 15/2 | Tom Marquand Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2019 2:42.91 | Sir Dragonet (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (8 of 7) 13/2 | Donnacha O'Brien A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2018 2:39.55 | Young Rascal (FR) 3yo 9-0 (2 of 10) 100/30 | James Doyle William Haggas (GB) |
| 2017 2:35.84 | Our Venice Beach (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (3 of 8) 5/2F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2016 2:41.07 | US Army Ranger (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (3 of 6) 4/11F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2015 2:45.53 | Hans Holbein (GB) 3yo 9-0 (5 of 6) 7/4F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Chester Vase have been based:
- IRE: 11 winners with an additional 11 placings from 36 runners
- GB: 9 winners with an additional 13 placings from 90 runners
- SAF: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- HK: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
Chester Vase Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Chester Vase over the last 20 renewals is A P O'Brien, who has won the race eleven times, with those eleven winners coming from Soldier Of Fortune (2007), Golden Sword (2009), Treasure Beach (2011), Ruler Of The World (2013), Orchestra (2014), Hans Holbein (2015), US Army Ranger (2016), Our Venice Beach (2017), Sir Dragonet (2019), Changingoftheguard (2022) and Lambourn (2025).
Here are the Chester Vase trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A P O'Brien | 31-11-21 | +28.67 | +16.64 |
| Andrew Balding | 14-1-2 | -5.50 | -5.11 |
| Charlie Appleby | 4-1-1 | -0.75 | -0.59 |
| John & Thady Gosden | 3-1-1 | -1.09 | -1.43 |
Chester Vase Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Chester Vase over the last 20 renewals is Ryan Moore, who has won the race nine times, with those nine winners coming from Doctor Fremantle (2008), Treasure Beach (2011), Ruler Of The World (2013), Orchestra (2014), Hans Holbein (2015), US Army Ranger (2016), Our Venice Beach (2017), Changingoftheguard (2022) and Lambourn (2025).
Here are the Chester Vase jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (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 (Benvenuto Cellini) | 16-9-13 | +11.11 | +5.36 |
| William Buick (Del Maro) | 8-1-3 | -4.75 | -1.95 |
| James Doyle (Water To Wine) | 3-1-1 | +1.33 | +0.00 |
| Oisin Murphy (Royal Standard) | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| Wayne Lordan (Proposition) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2026 Chester Vase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 6, 2, 4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, (4, 5), 4, 2, 1, 3, 1
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 (81%) - Highest Placed is not LST/Cl5
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Not at NBY/NEW(R) (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Not in a Cl5-6 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Beaten no more -1½l (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Not on GS/STD-SLW (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Dam is not AUS/CAN/DEN/FR/GER bred
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Achieved an RPR of 84+ (Non-Hcps)
- 19 / 20 (64%) - No bigger than 8/1
- 19 / 20 (67%) - Not in a G3/Cl5-6 (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (69%) - Highest Won is not G3/Cl5-6
- 19 / 20 (69%) - Won by at least ž (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (76%) - Within the first 5 of the market
- 19 / 20 (83%) - Carried 121 - 136lbs (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (84%) - Break of 13 - 299 days (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 14/1 (Last Win)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Chester racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Chester Vase. 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 ÂŁ6,000 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 Vase by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Chester Vase Trend Shortlist
Chester will host the 2026 renewal of the Chester Vase, which will be run at 3:05 pm on Wednesday, 6th May 2026, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer, jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Benvenuto Cellini (5/4)
- A P O'Brien (31-11-21 +28.67 / +16.64)
- Ryan Moore (16-9-13 +11.11 / +5.36)
Others: Proposition (14/15), Water To Wine (14/15), Mr Colonel (13/15), Del Maro (13/15), Mr Vettori (13/15) and Royal Standard (11/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (11:55 am Monday 4th May 2026), if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
Chester Vase Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +41.48, is when runners had 0 career starts with the jockey.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran in a Class 5 when last winning, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-19.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 7 (4,3) [8 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 2 (3) [6 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 3 (2) [5 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 2 [4 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 4 (7) [6 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the Chester Vase is Newmarket (Rowley); there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Newmarket (Rowley) last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Tipperary; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Tipperary last time out.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Chester Vase:
- Galileo (7 Wins)
- Camelot (2 Wins)
- Dubawi (2 Wins)
- Montjeu (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Golden Sword in 2009, winning for A P O'Brien at odds of 25/1 under the guidance of Colm O'Donoghue. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 10 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Chester Vase, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.
Route to the Chester Vase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Chester Vase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Lambourn Leopardstown - 2nd of 7 (9/1) | P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes |
| 2024 - Hidden Law Newbury - 1st of 10 (4/5) | Darley Confined Maiden Stakes |
| 2023 - Arrest Saint-Cloud - 2nd of 9 (33/10) | Criterium de Saint-Cloud |
| 2022 - Changingoftheguard Dundalk (AW) - 1st of 6 (4/9) | BetVictor Proud To Support Irish Racing Maiden |
| 2021 - Youth Spirit Newmarket (Rowley) - 4th of 8 (12/1) | bet365 Feilden Stakes |
| 2019 - Sir Dragonet Tipperary - 1st of 16 (14/1) | Fundraising Events At Tipperary Races Maiden |
| 2018 - Young Rascal Newbury - 1st of 20 (3/1) | Carter Jonas Maiden Stakes |
| 2017 - Our Venice Beach Tipperary - 1st of 8 (1/1) | Fundraising Events At Tipperary Races Maiden |
| 2016 - US Army Ranger Curragh - 1st of 10 (15/8) | Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden |
| 2015 - Hans Holbein Leopardstown - 1st of 7 (3/1) | Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Summer Racedays 2015 |
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 Vase. 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 fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Chester Vase 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
