The Cheshire Oaks is a Listed race for three-year-old fillies over just short of a mile and a half.

The Cheshire Oaks takes place on the 8th of May 2024.

It takes place at the Chester May meeting and is regarded as a trial for the Epsom Oaks.

The most recent filly to go on to win both races was Enable in 2017.

Aidan O’Brien’s Forever Together finished runner-up here in 2018 before going one better in the Epsom Classic.

Check out more about the Cheshire Oaks horse racing event:

Race Overview – The Chesire Oaks

The Cheshire Oaks is a Listed flat horse race for three-year-old fillies and is run at Chester Racecourse.

The Cheshire Oaks (Robert Sangster Memorial Cup) takes place over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs, and 75 yards (2,281 metres).

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Famous Cheshire Oaks Winners

The Cheshire Oaks was first run in 1950 with victory going to Requete.

Famous early winners include subsequent St Leger winner Cantelo (1959) and Oaks winner Lupe.

In 1974 the race was won by seven lengths by Dibidale but lost her chance at Epsom when her saddle slipped. The filly gained consolation next time in the Irish Oaks with a five lengths victory and followed up in the Yorkshire Oaks.

1980 winner Shoot A Line was unplaced at Epsom but won the Ribblesdale Stakes, Irish Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks and Park Hill Stakes. The filly was kept in training as a four-year-old but her best effort was finishing runner-up to Ardross in the Ascot Gold Cup.

Shoot A Line was trained by Major Dick Hern who struck again with Swiftfoot in 1982. She also won the Irish Oaks and the Park Hill Stakes.

1994 winner Bolas was trained by Barry Hills and ridden by Pat Eddery. She was not entered for the Epsom Oaks but won the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and then made all the running to win the Irish Oaks, beating Hawajiss and Gothic Dream.

Light Shift won the Cheshire Oaks in 2007 and followed up in the Epsom Classic, providing an emotional victory for the late Sir Henry Cecil. It was Cecil’s eighth win in the race and his first Classic victory for seven seasons.

The most notable Cheshire Oaks winner in history is undoubtedly Enable (2017). She was trained by John Gosden and would go on to enjoy an illustrious career. Her Epsom victory was followed by success in the Irish Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Enable returned the following season to win a second Arc and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. She showed her versatility by landing the Eclipse Stakes in 2019 but was denied a record third Arc victory by Waldgeist. She won a third King George in 2020 but another attempt to land a famous third Arc success floundered in heavy ground when only sixth.

Cheshire Oaks Previous Result

Here is the race reply of the Cheshire Oaks horse race at Chester Horse Racing Track.

Key Cheshire Oaks Trials

There are no obvious trails for the Cheshire Oaks. The race always attracts entries for the Epsom Oaks as they put their Classic credentials to the test. Chester’s tight turns are regarded as a useful test for fillies before they tackle the tricky Epsom track.

It can sometimes pay to note those finishing strongly here, Forever Together being a case in point in 2018. Beaten by Magic Wand here, she learned a lot from the experience and won the Epsom Classic next time. The winner often heads to Epsom next time while the Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot is an alternative target.

Cheshire Oaks Betting Trends

Favourites have a good record in the Cheshire Oaks in recent seasons, winning five of the last seven renewals.

The first three of those were all trained by Aidan O’Brien; Diamondsandrubies (2015), Somehow (2016) and Magic Wand (2018).

Mehdaayih (2019) was a winning favourite for John Gosden before Dubai Fountain (2021) was a winning market leader for Mark Johnston.

The longest-priced winner in the past nine seasons was 16-1 chance Anipa in 2014. She was trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Andrea Atzeni. Hughie Morrison’s Banoffeel won at 9-1 the previous year while Thoughts Of June was a 7-1 chance when winning for O’Brien in 2022.

Cheshire Oaks – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Aidan O’Brien has been mopping up the Chester trials in modern times. Thoughts Of June (2022) provided the Irish Trainer with a record-equalling seventh Cheshire Oaks. His previous winners were Sail (2008), Perfect Truth (2009), Wonder Of Wonders (2011), Diamondsandrubies (2015), Somehow (2016) and Magic Wand (2018).

O’Brien is level with Barry Hills who also loved to target the Chester May meeting with his fillies. His seven victories were provided by Dibidale (1974), Chaudennay (1987), Aquamarine (1992), Bolas (1994), High and Low (1998), Valentine Girl (1999) and Alumni (2005).

Pat Eddery is the most successful rider in the history of the Cheshire Oaks with six victories, the last of those coming aboard Valentine Girl.

Ryan Moore is one shy of that figure with five winners after success on Wonder Of Wonders (2011), Diamondsandrubies (2015), Somehow (2016), Magic Wand (2018) and Thoughts Of June (2022).

Betting on the Cheshire Oaks

The Cheshire Oaks consistently produces live contenders for the Epsom Oaks, Ribblesdale Stakes and Irish Oaks.

Aidan O’Brien continues to target the event, along with the Gosden yard, and it is a fascinating Classic Trial. Certainly, one to watch with an eye on future events.

Summary of the Cheshire Oaks

Thank you for checking out this Cheshire Oaks guide.

We have looked at facts, stats and more, so you have all the information you need.

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