James Owen is hoping East India Dock will justify his place in the market in Friday's Ladbrokes Chester Cup.
The four-year-old is 5/1 favourite for the famous handicap after a fine season over hurdles in which he finished a close-up third in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on his final start.
He will be racing on the Flat for Owen for the first time after joining in the autumn from James Fanshawe, for whom he won a Goodwood handicap in September and finished fourth in the Mallard at Doncaster.
The trainer said: “He needs one to come out of the race, but with a bit of luck he should get in. It has been the plan since the Triumph Hurdle. He has had a little break and his work has been good. It will be dry old ground with the way the forecast is looking and his best form on the flat is with a little bit of cut.
“The track around there is tight, but he is not the biggest so I’m sure he will be fine around the track. He has got a good way of going in a race, and he doesn’t over race, so fingers crossed he can run well.
"Off his hurdle mark he is potentially well handicapped and it is a nice pot to go for. If Chester goes well then we will look at Royal Ascot.”
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