Kevin Blake's Big Race Verdict: Back solid chance Emiyn in Friday's Chester Cup

• Kevin Blake's verdict on Friday's big race at Chester

• Draw and jockey are big pluses for Joseph O'Brien runner

• At a bigger price Declan Carroll-trained 8yo gets the nod

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The Chester Cup (15:05) is one of the most prestigious and historic staying handicaps of the entire British Flat season. A huge field racing for an extended 18f around one of the quirkier tracks in the British Isles makes it a hectic watch and a fearsome punting challenge to solve.

In terms of the pace picture, this looks likely to be run at least at an even tempo and potentially faster than that. Caballo De Mar (8) tends to race prominently or make the running and made all at the steady tempo to win a valuable handicap last time.

Leinster (5) made all to win a handicap at the Curragh last time. Divine Comedy (7) generally races prominently and ran very well when making the running in a four-runner Group 3 at Ascot last time. East India Dock (6) and Vaguely Royal (11) have made the running a couple of times both on the Flat and over hurdles.

Leinster is of obvious interest

Of those at the front end of the market, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Leinster is of obvious interest as the least exposed runner in the field. The well-bred son of Camelot made hard work of landing the odds in a maiden at Down Royal on his second start a year ago, getting notably colty beforehand, racing in a raw and inefficient manner in the middle section of the race and then being green under pressure.

An early stumble contributed to getting him out of position on his handicap debut at Roscommon and the manner in which he finished off hinted that his future would lie over longer trips.

12 (5)

Leinster (Ire)

• J: Ryan Moore
• T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien, Ireland
• F:

Gelded and off for almost nine months, he made an impressive winning return to action in a handicap over a mile-and-a-half at the Curragh in March. While it wasn't a particularly strong race and he had the run of it, O'Brien's horses were shaping as though badly in need of their first run at the time, so the fact he was able to produce such a performance is encouraging.

Raised 8lb, this represents a substantial step up in trip for him, but he looked a much more professional horse at the Curragh than he had previously and it wouldn't surprise if he proves to be well handicapped. He is well drawn and has the assistance of the very best jockey around Chester, Ryan Moore. It all adds up into him being a very interesting proposition and I certainly wouldn't put anyone off him.

Emiyn makes more appeal at bigger price

11 (2)

Emiyn (Fr)

• J: Zak Wheatley
• T: Declan Carroll
• F:

At a bigger price, the Declan Carroll-trained Emiyn makes plenty of appeal. The eight-year-old has been a regular at Chester over the years, running there 11 times yielding three victories, four seconds and two fourths. He has run in the last two renewals of this race and produced a remarkable performance to finish ¾-length second to Zoffee in it last year.

Having missed the kick, he raced freely and made early headway to get prominent. Despite those inefficient exertions, he hung in there really well to finish as close as he did. The handicapper has given him a chance since and he is now rated 2lb lower than when producing that big performance. 

This race is likely to have been his target for quite some time and there was loads to like about his seasonal return where he finished a never-nearer sixth in the Queen's Cup at Musselburgh. The draw has been kind to him with him having pulled stall two and while he can be a bit inconsistent at the gates, the hope is that he'll jump on terms and get prominent. He looks to have a solid chance.