Chester Vase

The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 63 yards (2,472 metres) at Chester in May.

Chester Vase

Class	Group 3
Location	Chester Racecourse Chester, Cheshire, England
Inaugurated	1907
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Boodles
Website	Chester
Race information
Distance	1m 4f 63y (2,472m)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old colts and geldings
Weight	9 st 2 lb Penalties 4 lb for G1 / G2 winners * * after 31 August 2024
Purse	£140,000 (2025) 1st: £79,394

Chester Vase

2025
Lambourn	Lazy Griff	Convergent

Previous years
2024
Hidden Law	Agenda	Grosvenor Square
2023
Arrest	Adelaide River	Hadrianus
2022
Changingoftheguard	New London	Savvy Victory
2021
Youth Spirit	Sandhurst	Fancy Man

2020-2011
2019
Sir Dragonet	Norway	Dashing Willoughby
2018
Young Rascal	Dee Ex Bee	Hunting Horn
2017
Venice Beach	Wings Of Eagles	The Anvil
2016
Us Army Ranger	Port Douglas	Ormito
2015
Hans Holbein	Storm The Stars	Medrano
2014
Orchestra	Romsdal	Scotland
2013
Ruler Of The World	Mister Impatience	Havana Beat
2012
Mickdaam	Model Pupil	Call To Battle
2011
Treasure Beach	Nathaniel	Slumber

2010-2001
2010
Ted Spread	Icon Dream	Chink Of Light
2009
Golden Sword	Masterofthehorse	Debussy
2008
Doctor Fremantle	All The Aces	Pampas Cat
2007
Soldier of Fortune	Arabian Gulf	Celestial Halo
2006
Papal Bull	Dragon Dancer	Mashaahed
2005
Hattan	Almighty	First Row
2004
Red Lancer	Privy Seal	Temple Place
2003
Dutch Gold	Summerland	Risk Taker
2002
Fight your Corner	Sparkling Water	Kaysari
2001
Mr Combustible	Snowstorm	Golden Wells

2000-1991
2000
Millenary	Windsor Boy	Tantalus
1999
Peshtigo	Lightning Arrow	Iscan
1998
Gulland	The Glow-Worm	Distant Mirage
1997
Panama City	Ivan Luis	State Fair
1996
High Baroque	St Mawes	Prince Of My Heart
1995
Luso	Court Of Honour	Maralinga
1994
Broadway Flyer	Moonax	Sadler's Image
1993
Armiger	Shrewd Idea	Persian Brave
1992
Twist And Turn	Jape	Mack The Knife
1991
Toulon	Luchiroverte	Peking Opera

1990-1988
1990
Belmez	Quest For Fame	Missionary Ridge
1989
Old Vic	Golden Pheasant	Warrshan
1988
Unfuwain	Kalakate	Vayrua

History

The event was established in 1907, and it was originally open to horses aged three or four. The result of the first running was a dead-heat.^[1]

For a period the race was contested over 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 75 yards.^[2] It was restricted to three-year-olds and cut to 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 53 yards in 1959.^[3] It was abandoned in 1969,^[4] and extended by several yards in 1970.^[5]

The Chester Vase serves as a trial for the Epsom Derby. The last horse to win both races was Lambourn in 2025.

Records

Leading jockey (9 wins):

• Ryan Moore - Doctor Fremantle (2008), Treasure Beach (2011), Ruler Of The World (2013), Orchestra (2014), Hans Holbein (2015), US Army Ranger (2016), Venice Beach (2017), Changingoftheguard (2022), Lambourn (2025)

Leading trainer (11 wins):

• Aidan O'Brien - Soldier Of Fortune (2007), Golden Sword (2009), Treasure Beach (2011), Ruler Of The World (2013), Orchestra (2014), Hans Holbein (2015), US Army Ranger (2016), Venice Beach (2017), Sir Dragonet (2019), Changingoftheguard (2022), Lambourn (2025)

Winners since 1960

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1960	Mr Higgins	Harry Carr	Humphrey Cottrill	2:37.40
1961	Sovrango	Joe Mercer	Harry Wragg	2:51.60
1962	Silver Cloud	Ron Hutchinson	Jack Jarvis	2:41.00
1963	Christmas Island	Lester Piggott	Paddy Prendergast	2:40.00
1964	Indiana	Joe Mercer	Jack Watts	2:37.20
1965	Gulf Pearl	Jimmy Lindley	Jeremy Tree	2:51.60
1966	General Gordon	Paul Cook	Jack Jarvis	2:47.60
1967	Great Host	Des Lake	Paddy Prendergast	2:42.60
1968	Remand	Joe Mercer	Dick Hern	2:49.20
1969	Abandoned due to waterlogging
1970	Politico	Sandy Barclay	Noel Murless	2:40.40
1971	Linden Tree	Duncan Keith	Peter Walwyn	2:38.30
1972	Ormindo	Brian Taylor	Harry Wragg	2:40.60
1973	Proverb	Ernie Johnson	Barry Hills	2:41.78
1974	Jupiter Pluvius	John Gorton	Bruce Hobbs	2:41.33
1975	Shantallah	Brian Taylor	Harry Wragg	2:41.51
1976	Old Bill	Brian Taylor	Harry Wragg	2:44.36
1977	Hot Grove	Lester Piggott	Fulke Johnson Houghton	2:45.60
1978	Icelandic	Christy Roche	Paddy Prendergast	2:42.93
1979	Cracaval	Steve Cauthen	Barry Hills	2:49.70
1980	Henbit	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	2:36.56
1981	Shergar	Walter Swinburn	Michael Stoute	2:40.47
1982	Super Sunrise	Paul Cook	Gavin Hunter	2:41.12
1983	no race [a]
1984	Kaytu	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	Not taken
1985	Law Society	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	2:44:72
1986	Nomrood	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole	2:46.08
1987	Dry Dock	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	2:37.97
1988	Unfuwain	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	2:52.48
1989	Old Vic	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	2:34.21
1990	Belmez	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	2:41.42
1991	Toulon	Pat Eddery	André Fabre	2:45.69
1992	Twist and Turn	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	2:37.13
1993	Armiger	Pat Eddery	Henry Cecil	2:35.32
1994	Broadway Flyer	Michael Hills	John Hills	2:36.03
1995	Luso	Michael Kinane	Clive Brittain	2:38.38
1996	High Baroque	John Reid	Peter Chapple-Hyam	2:40.16
1997	Panama City	John Reid	Peter Chapple-Hyam	2:46.64
1998	Gulland	Michael Hills	Geoff Wragg	2:38.18
1999	Peshtigo [b]	Michael Hills	Barry Hills	2:36.63
2000	Millenary	Pat Eddery	John Dunlop	2:38.11
2001	Mr Combustible	Michael Hills	Barry Hills	2:34.30
2002	Fight Your Corner	Kevin Darley	Mark Johnston	2:33.70
2003	Dutch Gold	Frankie Dettori	Clive Brittain	2:35.85
2004	Red Lancer	Robert Miles	Richard Price	2:44.33
2005	Hattan	Seb Sanders	Clive Brittain	2:44.91
2006	Papal Bull	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	2:35.24
2007	Soldier of Fortune	Michael Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	2:35.24
2008	Doctor Fremantle	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute	2:37.39
2009	Golden Sword	Colm O'Donoghue	Aidan O'Brien	2:33.86
2010	Ted Spread	Darryll Holland	Mark Tompkins	2:43.32
2011	Treasure Beach	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:39.10
2012	Mickdaam	Tony Hamilton	Richard Fahey	2:50.01
2013	Ruler of the World	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:40.29
2014	Orchestra	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:42.05
2015	Hans Holbein	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:45.53
2016	US Army Ranger	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:41.07
2017	Venice Beach	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:35.84
2018	Young Rascal	James Doyle	William Haggas	2:39.55
2019	Sir Dragonet	Donnacha O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien	2:42.91
	no race 2020 [c]
2021	Youth Spirit	Tom Marquand	Andrew Balding	2:45.83
2022	Changingoftheguard	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:43.36
2023	Arrest	Frankie Dettori	John & Thady Gosden	2:52.31
2024	Hidden Law [d]	William Buick	Charlie Appleby	2:38.89
2025	Lambourn	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:40.12

1. The 1983 running was abandoned because of a waterlogged course
2. Housemaster finished first in 1999, but he was relegated to fourth place following a stewards' inquiry
3. The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom^[6]
4. Hidden Law was fatally injured after the finish of the race^[7]

Earlier winners

• 1907: Earlston / Sancy ^[a]
• 1908: Galvani
• 1909: St Ninian
• 1910: Bayardo
• 1911: Maaz
• 1912: Lycaon
• 1913: Cylba
• 1914: Dan Russel
• 1915: Esplandian
• 1916–18: no race
• 1919: Air Raid
• 1920: Buchan
• 1921: no race
• 1922: Fodder
• 1923: Papyrus
• 1924: Inkerman
• 1925: Vermilion Pencil
• 1926: Swift and Sure
• 1927: Lone Knight
• 1928: Hectare
• 1929: En Garde
• 1930: Pinxit
• 1931: Sandwich
• 1932: Bulandshar
• 1933: Hyperion
• 1934: Windsor Lad
• 1935: Valerius
• 1936: Taj Akbar
• 1937: Merry Mathew
• 1938: Cave Man
• 1939: Heliopolis
• 1940–45: no race
• 1946: Sky High
• 1947: Edward Tudor
• 1948: Valognes
• 1949: Swallow Tail
• 1950: Castle Rock
• 1951: Supreme Court
• 1952: Summer Rain
• 1953: Empire Honey
• 1954: Blue Rod
• 1955: Daemon
• 1956: Articulate
• 1957: King Babar
• 1958: Alcide
• 1959: Fidalgo

1. The 1907 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners

See also

• Cheshire portal

• Horse racing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races