Chester May Festival 2024: Zoffee wins the Chester Cup

Zoffee (9-1) swooped late to go one better than 12 months ago and land a 'home' win in the Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup on the final day of the Boodles Chester May Festival.

Trained by Hugo Palmer at the nearby Manor House Stables, owned by former Liverpool FC and England striker Michael Owen, the eight-year-old provided the Cheshire yard with their first win of the week and also a first in the feature contest on the final day of the May meeting on the Roodee. Under Harry Davies, Zoffee was always travelling well and inside the final furlong he came down the outside to challenge. He went ahead and stayed on well to beat Emiyn (28-1) by three-quarters-of-a-length with Zanndabad (11-1) a neck back in third. The 4-1 favourite Aztec Empire was unable to hang on having made the running and was another length adrift in fourth with Grand Providence (15-2) a neck back in fifth. Ian Williams' Aqwaam, ridden by Liverpool-born jockey Franny Norton, was a slightly unlucky sixth, a nose behind Grand Providence, having seen his path blocked on a couple of occassions as he would up to challenge from the back.

There was no such issues for winner Zoffee, who delighted his local connections to provide them with a winner in the race they covet most. Trainer Palmer said: "It's the big race in this part of the world and very exciting. We were second last year and third with Rajinsky the year before so we've gone three, two, one in our three years up here. He's given him a wonderful ride. I've known Harry a very long time and his mother Angie is my assistant. He's been with me since he was seven so to win this big race for us is fantastic.

"We kept racing ponies for him when we were in Newmarket and he had to stand on a