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totesport CHESTER CUP 04/05/05

Anak Pekan Again

The Michael Jarvis-trained Anak Pekan, successful last year by five lengths from Misternando when the 2/1 favourite, is the ninth horse to have been victorious twice in the totesport Chester Cup (no horse has won three times).

He joins Leamington (1857 and 1859), Dalby (1865 and the following year), Pageant (1877 and the following season), Dare Devil (1892 and 1893), Chivalrous (1922 and the following year), Sea Pigeon (1977 and the following season), Top Cees (1995 and 1997) and, most recently, Rainbow High (1999 and 2001).

Philip Robinson, the winning rider both times, said: “Even though Anak Pekan is a staying horse, he has bags of speed and we got a good position.

“That helped him and it was a very good performance off this weight.”

Anak Pekan Completes Back-to-back Totesport Chester Cup Victories

Anak Pekan completed a second successive victory in the £120,000 totesport Chester Cup, beating Swift Sailor by a length with Contact Dancer a further length and a quarter away in third. He started at 16/1 as against 2/1 favourite last year.

Winning trainer Michael Jarvis said: “I thought that he had a lot to do with the extra weight and his draw. His initial speed allowed him to take up a position, which is important in this sort of race, and it was a repeat of last year really.

“I thought that he had a lot on his plate and a month ago I didn’t think that he was the same horse as last year, not ready to run and backward,, although in the last 10 days he has blossomed.

“These heritage handicaps have a maximum weight so why can’t he come back for a third go next year?

“We tried him in Listed and Group races last year but there is a bit of difference in those and he is a top-class staying handicapper.

“A spring campaign might be the best thing for him because he might be better in the first half of the year. The Northumberland Plate would be a possibility.”

Mark Johnston, who saddled Swift Sailor and Contact Dancer, said: “The winner was going well but Kevin [Darley, rider of Swift Sailor] said the horse on the outside was intimidating him but he kept trying to come back.

“It was a great effort from an inexperienced horse and I don’t think that it is any secret that he went to the July Sale in Newmarket last year. Then he failed his wind test so he came back to us and it has worked out well.

“Contact Dancer has run a great race and he had to come a bit wide which might have cost him a bit and then he had to come again.”

2.30pm totesport CHESTER CUP
Class 2, Heritage Handicap, £120,000 guaranteed. For 4yo+, 2m 2f 147yds. Weights: highest weight not less than 9st 10lb (any horse rated above 110 (114 if 4yo) shall initially be treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 9st 10lb, subsequently the excess over 110 (114 if 4yo) in any rating shall be added to the weight allotted); minimum weight 7st 12lb. Penalties: after April 16, a winner 3lb. Weight for age: 4 from 5yo+ 4lb. Penalty Values: 1st: £69,600; 2nd: £26,400; 3rd: £13,200; 4th: £6,000; 5th: £3,000; 6th: £1,800

1) ANAK PEKAN (H R H Sultan Ahmad Shah) Michael Jarvis 5-9-06 Philip Robinson [15] 16/1
2) SWIFT SAILOR (Maktoum Al Maktoum) Mark Johnston 4-8-03 Kevin Darley [8] 13/2
3) CONTACT DANCER (Michael Watt) Mark Johnston 6-8-05 Royston Ffrench [11] 16/1
4) LARKWING (Mollers Racing) Geoff Wragg 4-8-01 Richard Mullen [2] 15/2
5) COCONUT BEACH (Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier) Aidan O'Brien IRE 4-8-05 Kieren Fallon [6] 7/2 Fav
6) LAND 'N STARS (Paul Blows) Jamie Poulton 5-8-04 John Egan [5]
7) KING REVO (Dick Renwick & Mrs C Barclay) Pat Haslam 5-8-02 Neil Pollard [18]
8) BALYAN (Andrea & Grahqam Wylie) Howard Johnson 4-8-05 Robert Winston [3]
9) BIG MOMENT (R Doel, A Black, Dr J Howells, R & P Scott) Amanda Perrett 7-9-02 Johnny Murtagh [9]
10) DR SHARP (The Ivy Syndicate) Tom Tate 5-8-03 Eddie Ahern [1]
11) DISTANT PROSPECT (The Rae Smiths & Pauline Gale) Andrew Balding 8-8-10 Martin Dwyer [17]
12) COLD TURKEY (A Grinter) Gary Moore 5-8-13 Darryll Holland [13]
13) COPELAND (Professor David & Heather Silk) Martin Pipe p10-8-02 Chris Catlin [14]
14) UNLEASH (Cheveley Park Stud) Philip Hobbs 6-9-01 Jamie Spencer [10]
15) TEES COMPONENTS (Tees Components Ltd) Keith Reveley t10-8-12 Tony Culhane [16]
16) ROMANY PRINCE (John Webb) Steve Gollings 6-9-10 Frankie Dettori [12]
17) MANA D'ARGENT (Francis Mahon) Mark Johnston 8-8-00 Joe Fanning [4]

17 ran Non-Runner: High Point (Vet’s Certificate)
Breeder: Rebecca Philipps Breeding: ch g In The Wings - Trefoil (FR) (Blakeney)
Time: 4 min 14.60s Dist: 1, 1.25, .75, .5, .75, hd, 1.75, hd, nk, 1, 2, 1.5, 4, 4, 5, dist

Totesport Chester Cup Full Field
02/05/05

A maximum field of 18 is set to go to post for the £120,000 totesport Chester Cup (2.30pm) on Wednesday (May 4), the first day of Chester’s May Festival.

As many as 30 horses were declared for the famous and historic handicap this morning at the 48-hour declaration stage. But with a safety limit of 18, 10 were eliminated while two are reserves - Stoop To Conquer and Calamintha - who can be utilised if there are any non-runners before 11.30am on Tuesday, May 3.

The 18 declared runners include last year’s winner, third, fourth and fifth, Anak Pekan, Big Moment, Distant Prospect and Mana d’Argent.

Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, jockey Kieren Fallon and owners Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier, fresh from winning both the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the weekend, have their first totesport Chester Cup runner in Coconut Beach.

Damian Walker, the totesport spokesman, said: "Coconut Beach is our worst ante-post loser for the totesport Chester Cup and we expect punters to plunge on the Aidan O'Brien-trained runner following the stable's Guineas double at the weekend.

“Coconut Beach is well drawn in stall six and will have the assistance of the brilliant Kieren Fallon in the saddle.”

Dr Sharp is another runner and he comes into the race, which is run over two miles, two furlongs and 147 yards, after winning a Doncaster handicap over a similar distance on April 1.

His trainer Tom Tate said: “Dr Sharp is fine after the Doncaster race in which he stayed on well and, if he does that again, he should give a good account of himself.”

Dr Sharp won on his only previous appearance at Chester in the Blue Square Games Handicap in August last year.

Tate continued: “It’s definitely a good thing that he’s already won at Chester and we’re going there hopeful.”

The Mark Johnston-trained trio of the lightly-raced Swift Sailor, who is the 11/2 favourite with the sponsors, Contact Dancer, the 2004 totesport Cesarewitch hero, and Ascot specialist Mana d’Argent should provide strong challenges.

Johnston said: “Swift Sailor is a very inexperienced horse for the totesport Chester Cup but he's done nothing wrong. He worked very well the other day. Royston Ffrench will ride Contact Dancer and Kevin will be on Swift Sailor, which will be his minimum weight but he says he wants to do it, which could be an indication of what he thinks of the horse.”

Cold Turkey, the Queen’s Prize winner at Kempton last month, represents trainer Gary Moore and fellow Sussex-based trainer Amanda Perrett is hoping for another good run from Big Moment, who was second in 2003 as well as finishing third last year.

Two trainers are hoping that the going will not turn too soft - Philip Hobbs and Jamie Poulton. Hobbs has declared Unleash, second over hurdles at Cheltenham on April 13, and wants to run the six-year-old.

The trainer, based near Minehead in Somerset, said: “The plan is to run Unleash in the totesport Chester Cup if the ground does not become soft - he really wants good going or faster.

“He is fine after his recent outing over hurdles at Cheltenham which hopefully will have put him right as he had not run for over a year before that.

“I think he did need the Cheltenham run but the fact that he has not appeared on the Flat for a long time should not be a problem.”

Unleash, who has had just two runs over hurdles in the last two years, was a good handicap stayer on the Flat, last appearing on the level in October, 2003. He won the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle earlier that year.

Poulton, whose stables are in East Sussex, has Land ‘N Stars in the totesport Chester Cup. He said: “He’s well but we would like good ground - the quicker the going the better for him. Let’s hope the rain keeps away.

“He did though run well on soft ground when sixth in the totesport Cesarewitch last year. We hope he is bit stronger as a five-year-old this year and can build into a good stayer.”

totesport bet 11/2 Swift Sailor, 7 Coconut Beach, 9 Dr Sharp, 10 Contact Dancer, 11 Anak Pekan, 11 Cold Turkey, 11 Unleash, 12 Big Moment, 12 Land ‘N Stars, 12 Larkwing, 16 Balyan, 16 Copeland, 16 High Point, 25 Distant Prospect, 25 King Revo, 25 Mana d’Argent, 25 Romany Prince and 33 Tees Components. Reserves 25 Stoop to Conquer (Res 1) and16 Calamintha (Res 2)

The main supporting race on Wednesday is the £50,000 Listed Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks (2pm) over an extended one mile and three furlongs. This year the race is being run for the Robert Sangster Cup, which honours the late Robert Sangster who grew up locally, had his Swettenham Stud close by and made no secret of the fact that Chester’s May Festival was his favourite meeting. He was also a steward at Chester for many years.

The Lucy Sangster-owned Faint Heart, trained by David Wachman, is due to run. She won a fillies’ maiden at Tralee in August and has been subsequently placed in three Listed and Group events including the Salsabil Stakes at Navan on her last start on April 16, when finding just Allexina three and a half lengths too good.

Mrs Sangster is the wife of Ben Sangster, one of Robert’s sons, and there would be no more poignant moment than if the Sadler’s Wells filly, who was bred by Ben and Robert, could take this one-off Robert Sangster Cup.

There have also been excellent entries for the second and third days of Chester’s May Festival, on Thursday, May 5, and Friday, May 6, with 16 in the £65,000 MBNA Europe Bank Chester Vase and 22 in the £65,000 Dee Stakes sponsored by Aberdeen, Murray Johnstone & Halliwells - the two Derby trials.

Clerk of the course Ed Gretton, who today reported the current going to be Good To Soft, said: “The totesport Chester Cup is as popular as ever and is the tremendous centrepiece of the first day of the Chester May Festival while the entries for later in the week have been very encouraging.

“We could have a shower or two later today and some rain is forecast for tomorrow but it is meant to be dry throughout the three days of the Chester Festival.”

THE totesport CHESTER CUP

Class 2, Heritage Handicap, £120,000 Total Prize Fund. Chester, 2.30pm, Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 2m 2f 147yds. For 4yo+. Lowest weight 7st 12lb; highest weight not less than 9st 10lb. Entries closed April 13, entries & weights revealed April 20 (51 entries), five-day confirmation stage April 29, final declaration stage 10.00am, May 2. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Sunday, May 1

Form Horse Ag/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey

1) 332550- ROMANY PRINCE 6-9-10 J B Webb Steve Gollings -
2) 113000- ANAK PEKAN 5-9-06 HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah Michael Jarvis Philip Robinson
3) 356221- BIG MOMENT 7-9-02 R Doel, A Black, Dr J Howells, R & P Scott Amanda Perrett Johnny Murtagh
4) 05/1440/- UNLEASH (USA) 6-9-01 Patricia Thompson Philip Hobbs Jamie Spencer
5) (1)(2)(4)1 COLD TURKEY 5-8-13 A Grinter Gary Moore Darryll Holland
6) 35010/6/- TEES COMPONENTS 10-8-12 Tees Components Ltd Keith Reveley Tony Culhane
7) 00302-0 DISTANT PROSPECT (IRE) 8-8-10 The Rae Smiths and Pauline Gale Andrew Balding Martin Dwyer
8) 511- BALYAN (IRE) 4-8-05 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson Robert Winston
9) 56/6413- CONTACT DANCER (IRE)6-8-05 Michael Watt Mark Johnston Royston Ffrench
10) 11-5 COCONUT BEACH 4-8-05 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE Kieren Fallon
11) 41365-(1) LAND 'N STARS 5-8-04 Paul Blows Jamie Poulton John Egan
12) 31-1 SWIFT SAILOR 4-8-03 Maktoum Al Maktoum Mark Johnston Kevin Darley
13) 61042-1 DR SHARP (IRE) 5-8-03 The Ivy Syndicate Tom Tate Eddie Ahern
14) 160(4)/10- KING REVO (IRE) 5-8-02 Dick Renwick & Mrs C Barclay Patrick Haslam Neil Pollard
15) 42//00///- COPELAND 10-8-02 Professor David & Heather Silk Martin Pipe Chris Catlin
16) 125S0-3 LARKWING (IRE) 4-8-01 Mollers Racing Geoff Wragg Richard Mullen
17) 05(0)-(0)30 MANA D'ARGENT (IRE) 8-8-00 Francis Mahon Mark Johnston -
18) 0513-(0)5 HIGH POINT (IRE) 7-7-12 The Aedean Partnership Gerry Enright Frannie Norton

R1) 014101- STOOP TO CONQUER 5-7-12 Seasons Holidays Tony Carroll
R2)26135-1 CALAMINTHA 5-7-11 David Jenks Martin Pipe

ELIMINATED
GARDEN SOCIETY (IRE)
VALANCE (IRE)
SERBELLONI
KRISTENSEN
THEATRE (USA)
MASTER WELLS (IRE)
INCHPAST
DUNE RAIDER (USA)
GREENWICH MEANTIME
TELL THE TREES