2023 Chester Cup tips: why this horse can win Friday's big race

The tote Chester Cup (3.15) takes place on Friday and there are plenty of runners in with chances for what is generally considered to be one of the toughest staying handicaps of the season. Who should you be backing? Here is what a team of our top tipsters, reporters and analysts think, ranked in order of forecast odds . . .

Falcon Eight

Forecast odds: 11-2

By Matt Rennie

Ryan Moore is the man to keep on side at the May meeting and he and the 2021 Chester Cup hero Falcon Eight may be the perfect match to land the prize again. An impressive winner under Frankie Dettori two years ago, the Dermot Weld-trained eight-year-old was fifth last year and that proved to be a high-class running with the winner Cleveland and second Coltrane establishing themselves as Group-class stayers since. He is just 4lb higher than when victorious in this two years ago and Moore has made yet another brilliant start to the meeting with a double on the opening day.

Falcon Eight15:15 Chester

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Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: D K Weld

Call My Bluff

Forecast odds: 8-1

By Lee Sharp

This six-year-old stayer loves a run around the Roodee where his form figures read 132, the third coming in last year's consolation race. He also appears to be improving, as he earned a career-best Racing Post Rating of 98 when second at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance. He runs off the same mark today and has a great chance if he can run to a similar level around his favourite track with a low draw only enhancing his chance.

Call My Bluff15:15 Chester

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Jky: J F Egan Tnr: Dominic Ffrench Davis

Call My Bluff: bids to enhance a solid course record in Friday's Chester CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Call My Bluff

Forecast odds: 8-1

By James Hill

Following a career-best on Racing Post Ratings when second at Newbury last month, Call My Bluff should be in with a fair shout off the same handicap mark. Trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis is having a fine season with eight winners since the start of April, and Call My Bluff is a six-year-old with winning form on the Roodee and is nicely berthed in stall two. He has also gained two wins and two places on soft ground or worse so conditions should be fine for this consistent stayer, who continues to improve. Metier is also worth a mention following his second behind Wise Eagle at Musselburgh last month.

Call My Bluff15:15 Chester

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Jky: J F Egan Tnr: Dominic Ffrench Davis

Calling The Wind

Forecast odds: 11-1

By David Jennings

I suppose you could argue Calling The Wind has no secrets from the handicapper given he has seen him 32 times, but the seven-year-old is back down to the same mark he finished third off in the 2021 Cesarewitch. Burning Victory was second that day off 98 and is now rated 113 on the Flat. Calling The Wind traded at a low of 5-4 in running on Betfair in last year's Queen Alexandra Stakes and ran better than his finishing position suggests in the Irish Cesarewitch afterwards having been short of room at a crucial stage. He was value for finishing a lot closer than he did. He's had a pipe-opener at Wolverhampton, Jamie Spencer is booked and I think Chester is tailormade for him. He is drawn in six, the same stall Magic Circle came out of in 2018, so there are any number of positives.

Calling The Wind15:15 Chester

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Jky: Jamie Spencer Tnr: Richard Hughes

Calling The Wind

Forecast odds: 11-1

By David Griffiths

Jamie Spencer is a really interesting jockey booking for the Richard Hughes-trained Calling The Wind, who has been handed a nice draw in stall six. He has ridden the seven-year-old gelding just once in his 32 runs, and that was when second in the 2021 November Handicap at Doncaster off a 3lb higher mark on soft ground. Spencer has ridden 34 times for Hughes over the past five years and he’s finished in the first three on 15 occasions. Calling The Wind has some strong form in the book, notably a third in last year's Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot. He finished ahead of Falcon Eight there and meets that rival on 8lb better terms. He warmed up for this with a decent effort at Wolverhampton and he’s just the type that should excel around Chester.

The Grand Visir: winner of the Ascot Stakes back in 2019Credit: Bryn Lennon

The Grand Visir

Forecast odds: 25-1

By Joe Eccles

Whilst stall 16 is clearly no help The Grand Visir looks something of a forgotten horse given that he holds top-class staying form to his name and will have appreciated every drop of rain that has hit the Roodee this week. The nine-year-old has not been seen since finishing ninth in this race last year but that was a performance worth upgrading as he had to expend plenty of energy forcing himself into a prominent early position after a slow start. The handicapper has given him a chance as he reappears off a mark of 97, his lowest since running out a three-length winner of a Doncaster handicap in 2018. Jockey Richard Kingscote also knows him well having been aboard when scoring at Royal Ascot in 2019 and when runner-up to Falcon Eight in this race two years ago.

The Grand Visir15:15 Chester

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Jky: Richard Kingscote Tnr: Ian Williams

tote Chester Cup (3.15 Chester, Friday May 12)

Paddy Power: 11-2 Falcon Eight, 6 Zoffee, 7 Metier, 8 Vino Victrix, Call My Bluff, 10 Rajinsky, Tritonic, Calling The Wind, Emiyn, 14 bar

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