A Piece Of Heaven’s 7-1 victory in the Chester Cup on Friday provided a fitting finale to the May festival, after emergency ground repairs saved the meeting from potential abandonment. The Chester Cup, the most historic race at the world’s oldest racecourse, rounded off a week that saw Thursday’s card delayed by over an hour due to safety concerns.
On Thursday, jockeys reported slipping on the home turn during the opening race, prompting a delegation of riders and trainers to inspect the turf. Maureen Haggas, assistant to her husband William, scratched Morshdi from the Dee Stakes, citing “dangerous” ground conditions reported by jockey Tom Marquand, who initially stood himself down for the rest of the day. Chester’s ground staff carried out frantic remedial work, allowing the remaining six races to proceed after a delay.
Louise Stewart, Chester’s chief executive, praised the grounds team, some of whom have worked at the course for over 45 years. “They know every blade of grass on the track,” she said. The crowd of around 15,000 on Ladies’ Day cheered when racing was confirmed to continue, with Stewart noting the balance between racing and entertainment that Chester manages well.
The festival’s Classic trials have produced strong contenders for Epsom. Benvenuto Cellini (Chester Vase) and Amelia Earhart (Cheshire Oaks) are favourites for the Derby and Oaks respectively, while Constitution River’s seven-length win in the Dee Stakes was hailed by Timeform as one of the best Classic trial performances in years.
Chester’s attendance has declined by 34% since 2019, with an average of 34,500 over the last four full-capacity meetings. Stewart expects a 6% rise this year, building on a 10% increase in 2025. Changes to licensing, reducing alcohol brought in by picnickers, have affected numbers, but premium ticket sales have offset some losses.
