Billy Loughnane and Ryan Moore lined up by Joseph O'Brien for all-out assault on Chester Cup

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Joseph O'Brien looks to be going all out to land the £170,000 Ladbrokes Chester Cup and has four of the top five in the betting for Friday's race.

The trainer, who has shown his affinity with stayers on the Flat by landing the St Leger, Irish St Leger and two Melbourne Cups in the last eight years, has snapped up 2,000 Guineas-winning rider Billy Loughnane for his team alongside Harry Davies, who has ridden the winner in the last two years.

He has ten entries over the three-day meeting and said: "It’s good prize-money and Chester have put on good prize-money all week. We intend to be well represented there. The Chester Cup is a prestigious race and it's a track we’ve always been very fond of.

"We’ve had plenty of runners there and I used to love riding there, and our owners love going there. We like to have representation there every year if we can."

Galileo Dame is a best-priced 8-1 for the Cup, having finished second on her return to the Flat at Navan in March, and those are also the longest odds available about Irish Cesarewitch winner Puturhandstogether.

Last year's Cup fourth Leinster is available at 10-1, with 12-1 on offer about recent Curragh runner-up A Piece Of Heaven.

Joseph O'Brien: has four intended runners in the Chester CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Galileo Dame has run well at the track before, as has Leinster, who finished fourth in the race last year," said O'Brien on Sunday morning. "We’re just going to wait and see what the ground is like before we make a final decision on his participation. 

"A Piece Of Heaven likes to race prominently, so that suits the track. Puturhandstogether won the Irish Cesarewitch so nice pots on the Flat in staying company are obvious targets. 

"We haven’t finalised riding arrangements, but Billy Loughnane will ride one. Ryan [Moore] will ride one. Harry Davies has won the race a few times and he’s going to ride one. Then I’m not sure about the other one."

On Sunday afternoon, the BHA's racing admin site provisionally had Moore down to ride Leinster, with Loughnane on A Piece Of Heaven. However, jockey bookings can be changed at any time before 1pm on the day of declarations.

Ladbrokes Chester Cup (3.05 Chester, Friday)
Ladbrokes: 7 Blindedbythelights, 8 A Piece Of Heaven, Berkshire Sundance, Galileo Dame, Moon Over Miami, Puturhandstogether, 10 Alsakib, Leinster, 11 Team Player, 12 bar

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