Chester hosts a competitive card of racing on Thursday, including the 1m2½f Listed Dee Stakes and the 1m5½f Group 3 Ormonde Stakes.
Chester hosts a competitive card of racing on Thursday, including the 1m2½f Listed Dee Stakes and the 1m5½f Group 3 Ormonde Stakes.
Although the Listed Dee Stakes (2:40) is often touted as a Epsom Derby trial race, the double has not been completed since Kris Kin in 2003.
In recent years, it has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien with seven victories since 2007 and he has San Antonio in this year's renewal. Out of Group 1 Irish Oaks second Rain Goddess, San Antonio appeared to relish the step up in distance to ten-and-a-half furlongs when winning a competitive Dundalk maiden on seasonal reappearance by three-and-three-quarter lengths. O'Brien's runners tend to come forward for their first run of the season, so significant improvement is expected from this colt.
Donnacha O'Brien's Alder ended his juvenile campaign with a third behind Auguste Rodin in the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown over a mile. He beat well-regarded Aidan O'Brien runner (Bertinelli) on his return to action at Cork despite jockey Gavin Ryan reporting that the colt was attempting to go right from the bottom of the straight.
Godolphin are represented by Charlie Appleby-trained Local Dynasty who was campaigned quietly as a juvenile and recorded a third success when taking the Listed Silver Tankard Stakes over a mile at Pontefract. He was never tried against opposition of this quality and stamina would be a small question mark out of seven furlong Listed winner Really Special.
WIN: SAN ANTONIO
The Group 3 Ormonde Stakes marks a return to action for Changingoftheguard, who hasn't been seen on a racetrack since winning the 2022 Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. The form has since been boosted by the Group 3 John Porter Stakes victory of the second-placed horse Grand Alliance. Changingoftheguard shaped as a nice Classic prospect last season and finished a very credible fifth in the Epsom Derby behind Desert Crown. Most significantly, he won the Group 3 Chester Vase at this meeting last year so is known to handle the unusual track.
Hamish won this race on reappearance last year and is expected to play a role again. Although kept lightly campaigned, he enjoyed a successful season with a victory in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes flanked by seconds in the Group 1 Irish St Leger and the Group 3 St Simon Stakes. Course experience and a liking for this distance should play to his strengths.
The unexposed Old Harrovian is an exciting prospect for the in-form Andrew Balding team. They gelded him after a poor debut at Newmarket as a three-year-old and he has returned this year with back-to-back victories in novice stakes. He recorded a very impressive ten length success at Wolverhampton on the all-weather when last seen and looks ready to step up into Black Type company and try a longer trip.
DARK HORSE: OLD HARROVIAN
In the 5f British EBF Ruby Anniversary Maiden Stakes (4:20), there are some exciting juvenile prospects on display. George Boughey's Big Time Rascal makes his debut for first-season sire Blue Point, who has been producing some very speedy two-year-olds. Out of Listed placed mare Guerriere, Big Time Rascal has the benefit of stall three.
His main opposition looks to be the Mehmas colt Hackman. He finished third on debut behind another Blue Point debutante (Blue Storm) at Newmarket in a five-furlong contest which usually produces some useful types and looks capable of improving for the run.
