LAST year's runner-up Big Moment is one of 41 entries for the 169th running of the £120,000 totesport Chester Cup on May 5.

The Amanda Perretttrained horse (8st 10lb), was only beaten half a length by Hugs Dancer in last year's renewal and aims to go one better this time.

Top weight of 9st12lb goes to the Howard Johnson-trained Kasthari, in the feature of the first day of the prestigious Chester May meeting. Johnson also has Rayshan (9st) and Flownaway (8st 8lb) in the line-up.

Michael Jarvis's recent Kempton winner Anak Pekan heads the market as 6-1 favourite with totesport, who are sponsoring the extended two-mile event for the ninth time.

Anak Pekan was raised 10lb for that facile success, but he never stopped improving last year.

Misternando is second favourite at 8-1, with last year's runner-up Big Moment a 12-1 chance after totesport opened their ante-post book.

The Chester Cup is part of three days racing and the racecourse have maintained the prize money this year at £619,000 for the

meeting, which for the first time runs from Wednesday to Friday instead of the traditional Tuesday to Thursday.

New sponsor MBNA Europe Bank backs the £65,000 Chester Vase to be run on the Thursday, while Breitling Watches & Waltons Of Chester again support the £35,000 Listed Huxley Stakes.

Friday's main races are Group Three contests, the £70,000 Jardine Lloyd Thompson Dee Stakes, won last year by subsequent Vodafone Derby winner Kris Kin, and the £75,000 Betdaq Ormonde Stakes.