Raucous scenes at the races as Michael Owen runs riot and bookies duck for cover on Ladies Day at Chester
The England footie legend bagged two big winners on the day, netting him just short of £50,000.
2
Top owner Nick Hughes fell to the floor in joy after seeing the horse he co-owns with Michael Owen win the first race on Ladies Day
Credit: ITV Racing
2
The famous Roodee was packed on one of its busiest days of the year
Credit: PA
And one of his co-owners almost lost his top in the winner's enclosure as he was left on the brink of tears after victory.
Boxing royalty Ricky Hatton and Owen's former England team-mate Steve McManaman were soaking up the sunshine at the famous Roodee.
But it was little-known Nick Hughes who stole the show.
A co-owner with Owen of 8-1 winner-of-the-first Roman Dragon, Hughes was overcome with emotion in a brilliant ITV Racing interview with Sun Racing columnist Matt Chapman.
And earlier footage showed him lying on the grass with his shirt round his head and tummy fully exposed as he celebrated in style.
Then again, wouldn't you if you'd just seen your horse bag you a cheque for £23,000?
Owen's good form continued in the second race when the Hugo Palmer-trained Tricky Tel - named after the former Ballon d'Or winner's dad - won at 5-6 having been backed right in from 6-1.
It's not often you feel sorry for the bookies.
Most read in Horse Racing
But you had to spare a thought for the layers as they saw four of the first five races on the card won by favourites.
The 4.10pm, the sixth and penultimate race of the day, was won by the well-backed Paddy The Squire at 4-1., before 10-11 fav Lady Vivian scooped the last.
That all came after the first four favourites all won on Wednesday.
Those results helped one punter
Bookies would have been licking their lips when they saw Ryan Moore struggling on hot fav Mount Kilimanjaro on the Listed Dee Stakes on Thursday.
But their rotten run continued - much to the delight of punters - when the jockey showed why so many consider him the best in the world with a '
It wasn't all about the racing, though.
A
Bookies will be absolutely desperate for some results on Friday, when the £170,000 Chester Cup takes centre stage.
The feature race of the week is one of the big betting races of the year and sees 16 races thunder round the tight, twisting track in search of the £86,632 winning prize.
FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org
.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Read more on the Irish Sun
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chases their losses
Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed
Gamcare –
Gamble Aware –
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Marcus Rashford is a brilliant signing but Man Utd star needs to earn his spot, says Barcelona legend
MARCUS RASHFORD has been backed to do 'something big' at Barcelona - by none other than the legendary Rivaldo. The England forward, 27, secured his 'dream' move when the Catalan giants confirmed he had joined season-long loan with a £26m buy option from Manchester United. Advertisement 4 Rashford will wear the iconic number 14 jersey that Thierry Henry wore at the club Credit: Reuters 4 Barcelona fans have given Rashford an iconic welcome Credit: @mikinoelle 4 The England star is eyeing a revival that will see him play at next year's World Cup 4 Rivaldo is a Brazil and Barcelona legend Credit: Getty And Brazilian Rivaldo, one of the greatest to ever grace the Nou Camp pitch, believes it's a 'brilliant signing' - though he warned it might take him a while to hit top gear under The Ballon d'Or winner, who fired the Samba Boys to World Cup glory in 2002, told 'On top of that, with the quality of Barca's squad, the environment is ideal. Being in a different league to the Premier League, he'll have more opportunities, more chances to showcase his football and do something big there. 'He's a fantastic player, no doubt about it and I think he'll make a real impact. Definitely a brilliant signing.' Advertisement READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS Rashford's Old Trafford And he had been looking for a new home after falling out with Rivaldo said: 'When a player leaves a club in a tough situation, like he did, and joins a team like "It's only natural that the coach will use training sessions and the first few matches to get a better look at him. Advertisement Most read in Football Latest Exclusive BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 'Barcelona had a great season last year, so it's normal for him to start off on the bench. "Little by little, he'll find his rhythm, start to understand how the manager wants the team to play, get used to the training routines, and gradually settle in. Over time, he'll earn his spot. Barcelona fans welcome Rashford with incredible mural 'He's a hugely talented player — he's already proven that in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Advertisement He's also an international. So, I fully expect him to earn a place in Barca's starting XI and re-establish himself as a regular in the England squad too.'
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Georgia Toffolo slammed over her ‘controversial' wedding tips for 2025 brides – from £2 flowers to DIY cake
GEORGIA Toffolo has been slammed for insulting local businesses after sharing her "controversial" wedding tips for 2025 brides. The former Made In Chelsea star, 30, tired the knot with Brewdog founder James Watt, 42, in March and won praise from fans for the low-key celebrations - despite their huge wealth. Advertisement 3 Georgia Toffolo and James Watt tied the knot at a ceremony in Aberdeenshire Credit: Instagram/Georgia Toffolo 3 The couple had a very low-key ceremony Credit: PA 3 Toff shared some of her 'controversial' wedding tips on social media Credit: Instagram While Toff is thought to be a millionaire many times over herself thanks to reality TV and presenting work, James is said to have a net worth of more than £250million. But the TV beauty has now been accused of "ruffling feathers" after urging brides to ditch florists and cake makers in favour of £2 supermarket flowers and DIY sweet treats. In an Instagram post accompanying a video of her intimate wedding ceremony, Toff said: "Controversial? Maybe. Honest? 100%. Pieces of REAL advice I'd give to a 2025 bride." She insisted that wedding cakes are a "complete waste of money" while flowers are "overpriced and overrated". Advertisement Read more in Fabulous Revealing her money-saving alternatives, she added: "We had the children bake ours [cake] that morning. No fancy tiers, no overpriced price tag. Just made with pure love. Best decision ever. "I [also] grabbed daffodils straight out of the vase on our kitchen table, and you know what? They were perfect. £2 from the supermarket and not a single florist in sight." Her Instagram video, shared with her 1.8million followers, quickly racked up 1.5million views. But some people were left fuming that her tips seemingly urged people to snub "hard-working and talented" local vendors. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Latest Breaking One said: "Whilst the sentiment of your post is spot on; 'your day, your way', I do think you have slightly missed the mark here. "Especially describing floristry and wedding cakes as overpriced and not necessary. Both professions are very female founder heavy & I think it's a real shame to use your platform to describe the incredibly hard work and talent-driven work of those women as overpriced and unnecessary. BrewDog's James Watt & fiance Toff branded 'unbearable' after latest confession "Your DIY wedding is beautiful because that's what you wanted, but let's not diminish the incredible talent, skill and hard work of the women within the wedding industry." A second blasted: "So instead of spending a few quid of our vast wealth to support local, female-led businesses, I am instead going to tell my almost 2 million followers that what they do is pointless and they're charging too much for their art and skill. Advertisement "Considering what you charge for an hours appearance, tell me, who is pointless and overpriced here…?" A third chimed in: "As an influencer and privileged person, she has tripped up on this one… this has ruffled more than industry leaders' feathers." A fourth echoed: "I feel like you can say this as you have the privilege of experiencing luxury at any given time, for the absolute majority of people their wedding day is the one day in a lifetime when they may choose to spend a little extra to experience the finer things in life." And a fifth agreed: "You have the benefit of choice and grew up extremely privileged, for most couples their wedding day is the only time they can afford and save for that level of luxury." Advertisement The I'm a Celebrity winner went on to claim that couples shouldn't spend the morning apart on their wedding day, and the guest list should be small as it's "not a networking event". She also hit out at child-free weddings and insisted that children "add magic, not mess" and said there's "no need for a three-course meal". Toff rounded off her wedding guide by concluding: "You don't have to change your surname Tradition is optional, your identity isn't." Advertisement And many social media users, despite the backlash, praised her for low-key wedding decisions. One said: "I've said it once and will say it again. Please please never change. You are a breath of fresh air and so on point with outlook on life." "Love this Georgia Toffolo, well said. Weddings are about individuality and not about 'rules'", added someone else. A third wrote: "Totally agree!! You both look so happy and content that's what it's all about!" Advertisement "I absolutely could not love this more", cried a fourth. Meanwhile, a fifth added: "Good for you Georgia! Agree with everything you said. Yours sounded just perfect." Guests received just 48 hours' notice of the surprise nuptials where Toff and James' spaniel, Monty, acted as ring bearer. The couple, who started dating in 2023, 'eloped' after a ceremony which took place in a small church in the coastal village where fewer than 600 people live. Advertisement James's two daughters from his previous marriage to illustrator Johanna Basford were bridesmaids in Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Fans confused over Vanessa Kirby stroking co-star Pedro Pascal's face on press tour asking ‘why are they so touchy?'
FANTASTIC Four's Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby have left fans confused over their close friendship – though the reason behind it is actually quite sweet. Videos of the pair's tactile relationship, often cuddling up to each other, holding hands and 6 Pedro and Vanessa's affectionate friendship has confused fans Credit: PA 6 Vanessa was seen playing with Pedro's neck in one picture Credit: 6 Pedro and Vanessa play husband and wife in the new movie Credit: Getty Vanessa and Pedro play married couple Reed Richards and Sue Storm – AKA Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman – in the new addition to the Marvel universe. And their friendship clearly extends outside the show, with the duo seen showing each other support on tour. However, some fans have taken exception to their affectionate friendship, complaining it is "weird". Vanessa has noticeably become a particular source of support for Pedro, starting back at San Diego Comic-Con last year when they took to the stage alongside co-stars A nervous-looking Pedro grabbed Vanessa's arm as he appeared on stage behind her, and in response she grabbed his hand and held it. Speaking with She said: "What happened is we were both incredibly nervous going out in front of thousands of people who love this comic. 'He wanted me to know that we were in this together, and I found it a lovely gesture and was very glad to squeeze his hand back.' Most read in Film This is something the pair have been doing in the months since, especially as they've been sent around the world to promote the movie. Often paired up on the press tour due to their characters' relationship, Vanessa has been seen soothing Pedro with hugs and physical affection. Marvel release a clip from their latest super hero flick The Fantastic Four: First Steps He has also been seen resting a hand on Vanessa's pregnant belly on red carpets, following news she is expecting her first child with her partner, American lacrosse player Paul Rabil. Pedro has previously stated that touch helps soothe him when he suffers from anxiety – even notably doing it to himself while on the red carpet alone, creating a unique pose by standing with his hand on his chest. During a screening event of his Sky/HBO series The Last of Us in 2023, Pedro told co-star In response, Bella posed on the carpet with him in the same manner. 6 Vanessa is expecting her first baby with partner Paul Rabil Credit: AP 6 Vanessa and Pedro have become close during filming the Marvel movie Credit: Alamy 6 Pedro has previously discussed being anxious on red carpets and at events Credit: Getty
