Chester Cup 2017 – Stall issues for Sir Mark Prescott and Ralph Beckett with their runners
The draw is often so important at Chester and Prescott's stayer will have to break from stall 14 to win, something that will be tough to do
SIR MARK PRESCOTT was left gutted after Sea Of Heaven was out luck in the draw for Wednesday's Chester Cup.
The five-year-old will start the two-and-a-quarter-mile test from stall 14 in the 17-runner field and Prescott feels that severely compromises his chances.
The course holds no fears as Sea Of Heaven was successful here back in September 2015.
He ended last season with an excellent third place in the Cesarewitch.
But the Newmarket trainer said: "He's badly drawn.
"The horse is fine, but he's a got a very difficult draw for the jockey (Luke Morris) to overcome.
"The horse is quite keen-going, so if you light him up he'll do too much. If he drops him in, he'll have too much to do.
"It's a horse that needed a good draw badly. It's just the draw, everything else is fine.
"The jockey and the horse will have to be at their best."
Iain Jardine is hoping Jamie Spencer will provide the magic touch on Nakeeta, who was narrowly beaten in this 12 months ago.
Spencer was the winning jockey on No Heretic that day and Jardine feels he is the right man for the job.
"Jamie has never ridden for me before," Jardine told At The Races.
"I think this pair will be well suited together. Jamie is a great hold-up jockey.
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"He'll come late - that's what Nakeeta likes to do - and hopefully they can time it right. We need an awful lot of luck and we go there with every chance.
"He's done plenty of work and he seems in very good shape. He's fresh and well.
"We have a better draw (stall 10) than we had last year so we're hopeful for a good run. He definitely improved as the season went on. His rating tells you that.
"We're 10lb worse off than we were last year but I'm hoping he's still progressing in the right direction.
"We're happy we've got him in the same shape as he was for this race last season.
"Fingers crossed he'll run a big race."
Nakeeta ended last season finishing second to Golden Spear in Leopardstown's November Handicap and Tony Martin's runner reopposes.
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"He's been very consistent and if he keeps going that way he should run well," said the County Meath handler, who is delighted to have Ryan Moore on board.
"He's drawn 12 of 17, which isn't great, but it's not too bad, and the jockey we've got on board will be a big help."
Magic Circle, who was third in that Leopardstown contest, also renews rivalries.
However his trainer Ralph Beckett is pessimistic about his horse's chances after being given a wide draw in stall 18.
"He can't win from that draw," said Beckett.
