Next month's 188BET Chester Cup has attracted a bumper list of 58 early entries ahead of the valuable handicap.

The contest for staying handicappers is run over two miles and two furlongs at the famous track and is this year being run on the Friday of the May Festival (May 11).

Entries include Fun Mac (third last year) who was campaigned to win a valuable listed race at Maison-Lafitte in July and Magic Circle, who was an unlucky fifth in the 2017 renewal.

Donald McCain has already won the Chester Cup twice and has entered recent Haydock Park winner William Of Orange, in addition to Venture and Good Tradition.

McCain said: “Obviously it’s a great race for the area and there’s a consolation race as well this year, so we could sneak in there, it will be good to have a runner at Chester. It’s surreal to win the Chester Cup, very satisfying and it was magic when we won the first time.”

Malpas trainer Tom Dascombe could be represented by four-year-old Teodoro, twice a winner at Haydock in 2017 and also successful at Yarmouth before the end of the season.

Nakeeta, trained by Iain Jardine in the Scottish borders occupied 10th position in the 2017 renewal before going on to land the Ebor Handicap at York in August.

Keith Dalgliesh, who also trains in the Borders, has targeted the race with five entries.

“Mixboy stays and is mainly a chaser but has the ability to race up-front and control the pace," Dalgliesh said.

"Mirsaale has been busy over jumps and is another horse who can get in front and be difficult to catch. Silver Concorde has won three times over hurdles this season, he runs at Aintree on Saturday and then would go straight to Chester."

Chief Executive Richard Thomas said: “Entries for the 188BET Chester Cup bring the 2018 season to life, we spend many months planning the Boodles May Festival but tangible entries are a measure that we are almost ready to race.

"It is pleasing that so many previous runners in the 188BET Chester Cup have been entered for the race again this year. We are looking forward to welcoming racegoers to the Boodles May Festival meeting next month.”