It was joy for Michael Owen as Zoffee went one better than last year’s silver medal to land the 200th instalment of the Chester Cup. Also on the card, Passenger impressed in a dominant Huxley Stakes display…
Hugo Palmer’s Zoffee went one better than last year to land the 200th running of Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup.
Drawn in stall one, the 9/1 winner – beaten a neck 12 months ago – was able to sit on the rail in the perfect position and former crack apprentice Harry Davies timed his challenge to perfection.
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For much of the way the well-fancied Andrew Balding pair of Aztec Empire and Grand Providence controlled the pace, with Oisin Murphy looking to steal it on Aztec Empire with two furlongs to run.
But Davies pulled Zoffee out around Emiyn with a furlong to travel and his mount quickened away in good style.
It was a huge result for Palmer who moved from Newmarket to take over at Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire.
Emiyn, who completely missed the break before being rushed up to sit handy, ran a remarkable race in second, beaten three-quarters of a length with Zanndabad third and Aztec Empire fourth.
Having finished third and second in the last two renewals of the week’s showpiece event, Palmer was thrilled to finally land the big one.
He 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 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.”
Passenger promises plenty in smooth Huxley Stakes return
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Passenger began what could prove to be a big four-year-old season in the best possible fashion, with a smooth victory in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes at Chester.
A eighth victory in the race for Sir Michael Stoute, he looks a top-notch prospect for connections.
Not blessed with the smoothest of journeys when dead-heating for third in the Dante last year, before disappointing in the Derby, for which he was supplemented, the Ulysses colt was only seen once after Epsom, when getting home by a short head in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.
In breaking the track record on the Roodee, he now looks booked for bigger and better things having beaten Israr by a length and a half to add Group Two honours to his CV.
Richard Kingscote was content to take a lead off Jim Crowley until the turned into the short straight, but once he asked his mount the response was immediate and the 7/4 scorer quickened impressively.
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Balding and Murphy at the double
Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy teamed up for a final day double at Chester with Mina Rashid and City Streak.
Mina Rashid looked to have plenty on his plate against the well-bred duo of Ephesus and Mr Hampstead, even more so when he was hard off the bridle two furlongs from home.
He began to gradually make ground in the straight and with Murphy in full flight the 17/2 shot took the extended mile-and-a-half Boodles Darley “Confined” Maiden Stakes by one and a quarter lengths.
“He’s a lovely horse and I’m pleased for everyone at the yard and his owner Ahmed Al Shaikh who has been patient,” said Murphy.
“Andrew and Ahmed will speak, I think the Derby might come a bit soon for him as he’s still quite inexperienced, but he is a nice horse.”
Balding’s wife Anna Lisa said: “Oisin gave him a lovely ride as he’s not always a straightforward horse and I think the future is exciting.
“The hood is a bit of magic for the right horse, it really makes them focus and he did today.”
City Streak (9/4 favourite) was certainly not winning out of turn in the tote.co.uk Free Bet Friday Handicap, but he needed every single yard of the 10 and a half furlongs.
Perfectly placed throughout, Hugo Palmer’s Box To Box proved a tough nut to crack but Murphy pounced right on the line and got the verdict by a nose.
“He’s a lovely horse and the race worked out perfectly for him. I’ve had too many seconds recently so it’s nice to come out on the right side of the photo,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing.
“I had a great sit behind them and thankfully the line came at the right time. I thought I was going to get there, but then I thought I didn’t!”
Percy’s Lad has been a real course specialist for Daniel and Claire Kubler and despite stall 13 in the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap he made almost every yard of the running.
Richard Kingscote, formerly king of the manor at the Roodee, got his fractions spot on, winning by a length and a half on the 16/5 chance.
Claire Kubler said: “That was a fantastic ride from Richard because from that draw he looked up against it, especially round here.
“It’s hard to do but it looked like Richard just managed to get a breather into him and when he then kicked for home, with no cutaway it went perfect.
“Richard is exceptional at making all around here and we are very lucky to have a horse of this calibre. We’ve had loads of luck here and Percy actually broke the track record here a couple of years ago.”
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