Chester May Festival 2024: Zoffee wins the Chester Cup

Zoffee (9-1) swooped late to go one better than 12 months ago and land a 'home' win in the Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup on the final day of the Boodles Chester May Festival.

Trained by Hugo Palmer at the nearby Manor House Stables, owned by former Liverpool FC and England striker Michael Owen, the eight-year-old provided the Cheshire yard with their first win of the week and also a first in the feature contest on the final day of the May meeting on the Roodee. Under Harry Davies, Zoffee was always travelling well and inside the final furlong he came down the outside to challenge. He went ahead and stayed on well to beat Emiyn (28-1) by three-quarters-of-a-length with Zanndabad (11-1) a neck back in third. The 4-1 favourite Aztec Empire was unable to hang on having made the running and was another length adrift in fourth with Grand Providence (15-2) a neck back in fifth. Ian Williams' Aqwaam, ridden by Liverpool-born jockey Franny Norton, was a slightly unlucky sixth, a nose behind Grand Providence, having seen his path blocked on a couple of occassions as he would up to challenge from the back.

There was no such issues for winner Zoffee, who delighted his local connections to provide them with a winner in the race they covet most. Trainer Palmer said: "It's the big race in this part of the world and very exciting. We were second last year and third with Rajinsky the year before so we've gone three, two, one in our three years up here. He's given him a wonderful ride. I've known Harry a very long time and his mother Angie is my assistant. He's been with me since he was seven so to win this big race for us is fantastic.

"We kept racing ponies for him when we were in Newmarket and he had to stand on a bucket to tack his horses up. He's been riding out for us for a very long time, he's a talented young man and he's going places.

"I'm just delighted and so pleased the Petersons sent him back after the hurdling didn't go well. I'm grateful to Olly Murphy and his team, they've done all the work over the winter and we've only had him back a couple of months. We all love this horse and he might not be the highest rated horse in the yard, but he's just the loveliest face, he loves his job and we just love him. It's been a tough week, character building!"

Owen – who won so many honours and trophies during his football career – was delighted to land a 'dream' success with one of his stables' veterans. He said: "It is pretty much a lifelong dream to win that race and he came second last year. I said earlier in the week I think we'd win the big one. He always looks the part and he's a lovely, lovely horse. I'm so pleased for the owners and I said to them before the race, 'I know he's your horse, but they are all my horses at Manor House', that is how it feels. Alan (Peterson) has been a great supporter and this horse has always been a yard favourite - he's just the nicest person in the world. He was second last year and now he's gone and done it."

Winning jockey Davies added: "I have to thank Hugo and the team so much. I’ve had three rides in the Chester Cup – every time for Hugo – and they’ve all been fancied. I’m delighted to have delivered today. He loved the ground and travelled surpremely well. I thought the only reason I was ever going to be get beat was by being kept in. He stuck his head down and I’m surprised he doesn’t take his form jumping. He’s a very good horse on the flat. For my career it’s fantastic and this is the race the yard every year want to win and to do for Hugo, who has been a supporter of mine for so long, my mum is his assistant, is fantastic.”

Passenger (7-4) made a winning return with a smooth success in the Group Two Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes. Under Richard Kingscote, the four-year-old son of Ulysses broke the course record to give his trainer Sir Michael Stoute his ninth victory in the Group Two contest. Passenger, who has finished third in last year's Dante Stakes at York was 12th of 14, well down the field in the Derby behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom. He was overly worked after that disappointment but won at Windsor in the Group Three Winter Hill Stakes on his only other start of 2023 back in August. But he was back fulfilling some of the promise his connections expected him to be. Sat off the pace early on, Passenger came through to challenge the John and Thady Gosden-trained 13-8 favourite Israr following the turn for home in the 1m2f contest. He quickly moved to the front and went on to scor eby a length-and-a-half from Israr. Regal Reality (11-1) stayed on to be third a further five-and-a-half lengths back in third.

Passenger was cut to 8-1 from 25-1 with Paddy Power and is as low as 7-1 with William Hill for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at next month's Royal Ascot. And it looks like he can resume his progress up the ranks and have another crack at Group One company next month and for the rest of the season.

The winning jockey Kingscote said: "I had a big chat with Ryan (Moore) about him yesterday and those non-runners really helped me. This lad was ready to come out and have a run and we wanted to use Jim for as long as possible and the race worked out really nicely for me. I think I let the horse down a couple of times last season but things are going better and fingers crossed we keep going forwards. Sir Michael doesn't like bigging them up but he's a very likeable horse who is doing a lot really well now. The race was very smooth for him but you could tell he was learning on the job which is why Sir Michael loves coming here. Here's one we've been looking forward to."

Alan Cooper, racing manager for owners Flaxman Stables, added: "Michael has taken his time with him and the horse is paying us back every time. He's a son of Ulysees and it's exciting, he showed a lot of class today I thought. We'll listen to Sir Michael's advice as to where to go next. I was interested to see he was given the entry in the Hardwicke, we were thinking he was more of a mile-and-a-quarter horse but let's see what happens in the next few weeks."

Mina Rashid (17-2) came from the back to swoop and win the Boodles Darley "Confined" Maiden Stakes (For horses Which Have Not Run More Than Twice). The Andrew Balding-trained three-year-old Almanzor colt – who was winning for the first time on his third career start – got going well late on under Oisin Murphy to collar the 11-10 favourite Ephesus and score by a length-and-a-quarter. Aidan O'Brien's Ephesus, under William Buick, sat just off the pace set by Ancient Myth. He took over on the turn for home, but having been well back for much of the race Mina Rashid flew home late on to triumph.

Murphy said:

The Daniel and Claire Kubler-trained Percy's Lad (16-5) led from start to finish to land the opener on the final day at Chester, the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap. The six-year-old gelded son of 2006 Derby hero Sir Percy was third in this race last year but had won over course and distance before. And having been second at Newmarket on his seasonal return he was back in the winner's enclosure on the Roodee under jockey Richard Kingscote. Despite being drawn out wide in stall 13, he quickly got across to lead and made all to triumph by a length-and-a-half from 3-1 favourite with Documenting (28-1) a further length-and-a-quarter back in third.

Claire Kubler said:

City Streak (9-4 favourite) just got up to grab a narrow success in the tote.co.uk Free Bet Friday Handicap Handicap. Under Oisin Murphy, the Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old got the better of a fine battle at the end of the extended 1m2f contest beating Box To Box () – trained by Hugo Palmer's at the nearby Manor House Stables, owned by former Liverpool FC and England striker Michael Owen and owned by a syndicate which includes his former Reds team-mate Steve McManaman – by a nose. Woodstock City (28-1) was a further length-and-a-half back in third.

In what is the consolation race for those who don't make the cut for the Chester Cup, the Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Plate Handicap (4.15pm), trainer Ian Williams may also score with LAW OF THE SEA. The six-year-old was fourth in the Chester Cup last year, second at Haydock and also finished fourth in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting. He mostly disappointed thereafter. But he has generally gone well following a break and is down in the handicap. He is better than he showed in the second half of the season and may bounce back with victory on his return. at Haydock Park