2024 Chester Cup - 3 Outsiders To Consider

Chester Cup Tips – 3 Outsiders To Consider 

The Chester Cup is the feature race on the final day of Chester’s May meeting. With 7 of the last 10 winners returning a double-figure price, we’ve decided to take a closer look at those towards the bottom end of the betting and provided three selections that could outrun their odds in Chester’s marathon handicap on Friday afternoon. 

 

Solent Gateway (Hugo Palmer, Saffie Osbourne) 

Current Price: 14/1 

He may not have started this season in brilliant form following two lacklustre efforts on the all-weather, however, SOLENT GATEWAY certainly shouldn’t be written off on Friday afternoon, especially with track and ground very much in favour. He often saves some of his better efforts on track for Chester – his course figures read: 3-9-2-2-1-0 –  and although he was well beaten in this very race back in 2022 off a mark of 90, he was far too keen to do himself justice that day, and it’s also worth pointing out that better was clearly expected of him as he was sent off just 13/2 at the off. In-form jockey Saffie Osborne also takes over in the saddle for the first time on Friday afternoon, while the addition of a first-time visor may also help reignite the six-year-olds enthusiasm. His declining mark of 92 is clearly workable given some of last year’s promising efforts on turf, and a bounce back to form on the Roodee can’t be ruled out. 

 

Too Friendly (James Owen, Silvestre De Sousa) 

Current Price: 20/1

Jockey Silvestre De Sousa took home the first British Classic of the year at Newmarket last weekend, and there’s every chance the rider can add another big pot to his recent haul courtesy of the James Owen-trained TOO FRIENDLY, who appears to hold solid each-way claims on Friday afternoon. A five-time hurdle winner, the six-year-old made a winning return to the level when comfortably winning a two-mile handicap at Kempton back in March off a mark of 85. That was just his seventh career outing on the flat, and although he’s proven to be a fairly useful hurdler in recent seasons for connections, he remains a fairly unexposed stayer in this particular sphere and it’s highly unlikely that he’s reached his ceiling just yet following a subsequent 4lb rise in the weights. Given the manner of that recent Kempton success, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him taking on more future assignments on the level and there could be plenty more to come from him this term. 

 

Forza Orta (Kevin Ryan, Rowan Scott) 

Current Price: 11/1 

Another runner in here who possesses an unexposed profile compared to some is Kevin Ryan’s FORZA ORTA, who could be generously priced up at around the 16/1 mark. His sole run over two miles saw him defeat Aztec Empire by a neck at York last August, and although it can be argued that he was fortunate to keep that race following some notable and perhaps costly interference in the closing stages, he’s more than twice the price of his former rival on Friday afternoon and finds himself on almost identical terms. His recent comeback run on soft ground at Thirsk should have blown away any cobwebs, and given all four of his career victories have come on a sound surface, he promises to be suited by quicker conditions and he’ll be a leading player if seeing out the extra three furlongs.