Iain Jardine’s Nakeeta heads weights for the Chester Cup
In a race where the luck of the draw plays a part, a few horses towards the head of the ante-post market have struck lucky in the 188Bet Chester Cup, with Ian Williams' Magic Circle and Philip Kirby's Stargazer both giving useful draws.
IAIN JARDINE'S Nakeeta heads the weights in a maximum field of 17 for the 188Bet Chester Cup on Friday.
The globetrotting seven-year-old won the Ebor at York last summer and will be having his first start since finishing fifth in the Melbourne Cup.
He is drawn 13, having raced from stall 15 in 2016 when beaten a short head and from stall 10 when unplaced 12 months ago.
Magic Circle, a new recruit to the Ian Williams yard, and Philip Kirby's Stargazer were at the top of the ante-post market and have been handed favourable draws in six and four respectively.
Alan King's Who Dares Wins was fourth last year but has not been so lucky, having been handed stall 15, while the third, Hughie Morrison's Fun Mac, is in stall five.
Mark Johnston's two runners, Time To Study and Watersmeet are drawn in seven and two respectively, while Tim Easterby's My Reward has the inside draw in stall one and Seamus Durack's Cayirli has the theoretical worst draw in 17.
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Elsewhere on the card, Eminent is set to make his return to action against five rivals in the Homeserve Huxley Stakes.
Martyn Meade's Frankel colt was a leading three-year-old in 2017, winning the Craven Stakes and a Group Two in France and running creditably in the 2000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Champion Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien won the Group 2 contest last year with Deauville and relies upon War Decree this time around, who was last seen finishing down the field in the Dubai Turf.
Richard Fahey's Forest Ranger defeated Deauville on his run since being gelded in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket and will be joined by admirable stablemate Gabrial.
Sir Michael Stoute's Convey and the Mark Johnston-trained Frankuus completes the sextet.