Chester Cup switched to the final day of the May Festival in 2018
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Next year's Chester Cup will be run on the final day of the three-day Boodles May Festival on the Roodee instead of taking its traditional slot on the opening card.
The two-and-a-quarter-mile handicap is the highest profile race of the entire fixture and attracts the biggest crowd of the week.
The main supporting event on the Friday (May 11) will be the Group Three Huxley Stakes over an extended mile and a quarter, which is being switched from Thursday's programme.
The Festival will kick off on Wednesday May 9, named City Day, with the centrepiece being the 100th running of the Chester Vase, backed up by the Cheshire Oaks. The two races provided the winners of the Derby and Oaks in Wings Of Eagles and Enable respectively this year.
Thursday's Ladies Day (May 10) will see the Ormonde Stakes and Dee Stakes as the main events.
Chester's chief executive Richard Thomas said: "The success story of this year's Boodles May Festival really set the bar for 2018.
"We have implemented a number of changes to ensure momentum is kept across the three-day programme and we deliver a spectacular experience for horsemen, racegoers and viewers alike."
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