According to official records Chester Racecourse is the oldest course still in use in England. Horse racing on the English/Welsh border dates back all the way to the early 16th century on the banks of the River Dee.

The track, known as the ‘Roodee’ is also very unique in that it’s the country’s smallest flat racecourse of significance at just 1 mile and 1 furlong long (1800m). There is so much history on every bend here: its intimate size means racing enthusiasts can get a fantastic view of the action whether it’s from the Roman walls overlooking the course or the redeveloped County Stand.

The most notable races on the flat racing calendar at Chester are the Chester Cup – a 2 mile 2 furlong handicap race – the Cheshire Oaks – a listed race open to three-year-old fillies and the Chester Vase – a Group 3 flat race for three-year-old colts and geldings.

The key characteristic of Chester Racecourse is arguably its unusually short straight (only 239 yards). Runners and riders are almost on the turn throughout any race at Chester and its tightness, coupled with the brief run-in, mean that only prominent front runners stand a chance of prevailing here.

David Probert says: “Chester is a very tight 'bullring' of a track. On fast ground, horses with early speed exiting inside stalls have a big advantage, especially over five and five-and-a-half furlongs. For whatever reason, the speed doesn't seem to hold up as well over six - maybe horses get racing too early and tire in the last furlong - but over seven that pace advantage is there again. The ten furlong start, in a chute at the top of the home straight, is the fairest as all riders have a chance to take the position they want.

Over longer trips it's still a plus to be handy as a rule, but that pure gate speed is not quite such a necessity.

The pace and draw biases are much less relevant on softer ground. When it's wet, plenty of races fall apart with horses tiring significantly in the straight. You might also find more jockeys coming towards the stands side when the going is soft, whereas on quicker turf the far rail is usually the place to be.

Over longer trips I like to try to make my move about half way down the back 'straight' - it's more a dogleg than a straight - about half a mile from home. From there it's a case of getting my horse balanced and on the right lead before the charge for the line from the top of the lane.”

Looking for profitable horse racing advice? Our guidance above on the low stall number bias at Chester is just the tip of the iceberg!

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Latest Chester Results
DateRunnerJockeyTrainerSP
28 Jun 17:20Patagonia GirlRichard KingscoteH Palmer2/1
28 Jun 16:45TailormanAndrew MullenI Williams5/1
28 Jun 16:10Mayday MaloneJay MackayMichael Bell12/1
28 Jun 15:35GhaiyyaJoe FanningC Johnston15/8
28 Jun 15:05AlzahirGeorge WoodJ Candlish100/30
28 Jun 14:30Mister WinstonJason WatsonA Balding13/8
28 Jun 14:00Song Of The ClydeJoe FanningClive Cox100/30
14 Jun 17:05Polling DayElizabeth GaleB Llewellyn33/1
14 Jun 16:30Solar AclaimCieren FallonJ Camacho4/1
14 Jun 15:55Cavern ClubCallum ShepherdJ Owen12/1
Chester Fixtures
DateSessionCodeSurface
11 JulEveningFlatTurf
12 JulLate-AfteFlatTurf
26 JulAfternoonFlatTurf
03 AugAfternoonFlatTurf
30 AugAfternoonFlatTurf
12 SepAfternoonFlatTurf
13 SepAfternoonFlatTurf
20 SepAfternoonFlatTurf
Top Chester Jockeys
JockeyWinsRunsSR
Jason Watson83522.9%
Francis Norton53215.6%
Sean D Bowen52619.2%
Rob Hornby42218.2%
Ryan Moore4944.4%
Oisin Murphy31127.3%
Sean Kirrane32810.7%
Kevin Stott31225.0%
Jason Hart3368.3%
Zak Wheatley32213.6%
Top Chester Trainers
TrainerWinsRunsSR
H Palmer136819.1%
A Balding124626.1%
T Easterby54710.6%
A O'Brien4666.7%
K Burke32313.0%
C Johnston3348.8%
I Williams3446.8%
R Fahey32910.3%
W Haggas31127.3%
Declan Carroll31717.6%
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