Chester May Meeting Day 3 09/05/2014

So the final day of Chester's wonderful May Meeting is here, the final day features are The now downgraded Dee Stakes Listed & The Group 3 Ormonde Stakes. Due to a run a average winners the race lost its Group 3 status last season which ironically produced Magician last year's Irish 2000 Guineas Group 1 & Breeders Cup Turf Grade 1 winner. It is the oldest of Chester's two Derby trials dating back to 1813, in its history it has produced 4 Derby winners; Sainfoin 1890, Parthia 1959, Oath 1999 & Kris Kin 2003. 

Prior to Magician last year there are only two horses of real note in recent years, Sir Harry Lewis; 1987 went onto win The Irish Derby Group 1 & Pentire in 1995 went onto win The Irish Champion Stakes Group 1 & The King George Group 1 in 1996 after pushing Champion Lammtarra close in the 1995 renewal. Aidan O'Brien as with the Chester Vase has won 4 runnings in the last 10 years.

This year he fields Century & Kingfisher; Kingfisher is fairly exposed as just a useful horse who was well beaten on his seasonal debut in The Ballysax at Navan. He is clearly not one of the stable stars but will probably not need to be to take a hand in this.
Stablemate Century is much more unexposed, he won a average Curragh maiden in taking fashion & was then pitched straight into the Racing Post Trophy in which he disappointed badly never appearing to travel & finishing last which is a worry if the ground does get any worse than good to soft come Friday. Joseph has picked Kingfisher which suggests that Century is not thought of that highly as surely he would be on the unexposed horse rather than the one that has been well beaten at Group level on a couple of occasions. Stamina could well be an issue for Century as he is out of a Lujain mare.

Drunmore Road is a twice raced maiden who is entered in The Irish Derby, he was quite well backed last time out but was never a factor finishing 8th, he has to find bundles of improvement to get involved. Similar comments apply to Randwick who has only had one run when finishing 8th in the Wood Ditton at Newmarket, it was just an ok run but not that noteworthy. Sloane Avenue has an all american pedigree so the softer ground could be an issue, he is the winner of an uncompetitive AWT 4 runner maiden by 9 lengths & could be anything.

Zampa Manos is a gelding who scraped home in an AWT handicap from Snow Trouble & God Willing, that form is looking distinctly average after the weekend, he has to prove ground conditions will suit.
Surely this race for me is at the mercy of Somewhat if he can come back to anywhere near his best 2yo form like his win in the Washington Singer from Be Ready & his narrow defeat to Berkshire in the Royal Lodge (Kingfisher well beaten). 

The worry is his last 2 runs have been shocking I can forgive The Racing Post Trophy as the ground was bad & it was the end of the season but his first run when well beaten behind True Story at Newmarket was quite disappointing, I can only imagine that he was in desperate need of the run that day, he filled the eye as a 2yo looking every inch like he would make a quality 3yo. As long as the ground is not soft by Friday he should have an excellent chance. Mark Johnston runs the exposed Bow Creek who got lucky when winning a 3 runner Listed race at Lingfield earlier in the year as Ryan Moore somehow managed to get boxed in on the long odds on favourite Barley Mow, the step up in trip should suit as will any appreciable softening of the ground but I expect him to make the pace for his stablemate.

A non betting event for me.

         

The Ormonde Stakes in run in the honour of one of the greatest racehorse of the early 19th century he won the Triple Crown & many other top races in his 16 race unbeaten career. His race has been won by several top class animals, Teenoso 1984, Oscar Schindler 1996, Daliapour 2000. Perhaps the two best winners of the race have happened relatively recently Harbinger in 2010 & St Nicholas Abbey in 2011.

This year's renewal may lack horses of that quality but is decent none the less, local horse Brown Panther goes back on the Cup road after his in truth disappointing 8th in last season's Melbourne Cup, previous to that he had won The Goodwood Cup with an authoritative display. His race record suggests that he is a horse that does not take a lot to get fit & with it being the stables biggest meeting of the year I am sure he will be primed to do himself justice first time out, the ground should be fine for him.

Mount Athos last year's easy winner on good to soft (although it was not be as bad as this year's ground which could easily be soft come Friday (if it is he won't run)) from will no doubt be primed for a repeat for his owner Dr Marwan Koukash, after his win last year he was pretty disappointing in truth but bounced right back in the Melbourne Cup running a fabulous race to finish 3rd, he then went to Sha Tin & was again disappointing. He had two races in Dubai appearing to run well on his first start but to me the race suited his running style & he was flattered, on his final Dubai on World Cup Night he was well beaten.

Hillstar steps up in trip after not handling the Tapeta in The World Cup, he progressed from getting beat in handicaps to winning a Group 2 at The Royal Meeting, thereafter he turned up to all the big gigs running with credit each time. It would have done him the power of good all that experience as he should now be stronger as a 4yo & better equipped for the challenges that lie ahead. This looks a chance to get the horses confidence back & he is respected. He has one win on soft & one below par effort on it (in last year's Champion Stakes) I would be concerned if the ground got any worse it may tax his stamina further over this extended 1m5f.

Ernest Hemingway is just a useful horse for me & will struggle to get past at least 3 of his 5 opponents, he also appears not to handle cut in the ground as he has been kept away from it so far. Two fillies complete the lineup, Banoffee & Jathabah; Banoffee won the Cheshire Oaks under a power packed finish at this meeting last year, since then she has been most disappointing, the step up in trip should suit but it will take a career best performance to be winning this. Jathabah also faces a tough task against the boys, she still only has 1 win to her name & Clive's horses really are not running that well.

Not a race I will be betting in.

The opening handicap over 7f sees Here Comes When return ti the scene of his biggest victory to date in last year's Boodles Diamond Handicap on the 2nd day of the 3 day Festival. He has the plum draw to attack fromm, is only 6lbs higher than that winning mark which is offset by his talented apprentices claim so he is only 3lbs higher than that mark, he must go into Friday with a really live chance on ground that should be fine.

Big Johnny D has shown nothing on his last 2 starts & it looks although the handicapper has him at present. Similar comments apply to old Pintura who also has a tricky draw as does Kenny Powers, stablemate Deauville Prince has not been seen since some average runs in Dubai last year, his young apprentice takes off 7lbs leaving him at least on a workable mark but surely he will need this after such a long absence.

Set The Trend was formerly useful with David O'Meara & Andrew Balding, now with David Dennis the handicapper has given him a chance on Friday so it would be no surprise if he bounced back to form from a handy draw with ground fine. Balty Boys has a bad draw as does the unexposed Abseil who has got stall 13, his handicap mark looks ok on his return from a year off. Pacific Heights is too high at present as is Frontier Fighter, Laffan & Apostle. Capo Rosso is in good form but has an awkward draw to contend while Clockmaker is now back on his last winning mark of 81 which was around Chester last year, he has a decent course record & an ok draw so he could well be primed for a big run on ground he handles especially if it gets softer.

Here Comes When 9/2 (WON 2/1f) to gain another win at the Roodee.

The two handicaps over 5f & 7f later in the card look extremely tough so would not interest me as betting mediums with similar comments applying to the fillies 3yo maiden. So I will wait to the last on the card a 1m4f handicap in which the top weight Running Deer looks more than capable of coping with a 6lb rise for a ready win in a Windsor handicap 11 days ago on soft ground, she is again ridden by the excellent Louis Steward who's 3lb claim offsets the rise somewhat. She travelled through the race with ease that day & barely came off the bridle to win cosily.

She faces exposed rivals on Friday & most of them will be better over further, Innsbruck is the exception as he has had one flat run to date when winning a Pontefract maiden at 50/1 last year, he showed little over hurdles last winter but his mark looks quite reasonable & he is a well bred ex Darley cast off, it would be no surprise if he were to give Running Dear most to do.

Running Deer 5/1 is a confident selection for me. (2nd) 

I will going to Ascot's one & only evening meeting of the year tomorrow, we have had persistent rain here overnight & throughout the morning so I suspect the ground will be on the soft side of good & quite sticky like the last meeting.
The opening 2yo maiden saw Rizeena break her maiden tag last season so it will be interesting to see what this year's renewal brings; 
Ajmal Ihsaas (Acclamation x Secret History) cost £105,000 at Tatts Book 1 & is a half sister to Area Fifty One who handles cut well.
 Arabian Queen (Dubawi x Barshiba) dam dual winner of Lancashire Oaks.
Belle Fille (Makfi x Belle Allemande) comes from the same maiden that Rizeena did last year, this year's renewal is not working out as well as yet.
Crawford Avenue (Equaiano x Miss Meggy) half sister to Eccleston
Cursory Glance (Distorted Humour x Time Control) dam a minor winner, daughter of Time Away winner of Musidora Stakes Group 3 2001.
Dangerous Moonlite (Acclamation x Light It Up) dam a maiden after 13 starts, nothing special in pedigree.
  Falling Petals (Raven's Pass x Infinite Spirit) half sister to tough handicapper Vainglory.
 Golden Zephyr (Tamayuz x Anyaas) half sister to 2 winners.
Hikayati (Iffraaj x Diam Queen) remember seeing this girl in the paddock on the Stud Farm that I was brought up on, quite well put together leggy filly. Dam won twice but was average, pedigree is just ok. 
Kinematic (Kyllachy x Spinning Top) half sister to Musical Comedy, speedily bred one to watch.
Peace And War (War Front x More Oats Please) cost $300,000 at Keeneland, dam twice a winner upto allowance grade, half sister to dual listed winner Miss Valentine.
Showcard (Showcasing x Dimakya) dam has produced many foals but nothing of note.
Stinky Socks (Footstepsinthesand x City of Cities) 2nd in average looking Bath maiden, will need to up her game in this.
Zuzinia (Mujadil x Sinegronto) cost £62,558 at Goffs, half sister to 1 winner.
         

The horse I am looking forward to seeing most though is a 3yo filly who makes her debut in the 1m2f maiden, she is Wonderstruck a half sister to George Washington & Sun Central.

The 6f handicap would not look out of place on a Saturday card, with the ground looking likely to be on the soft side it should be between the improving Hillbilly Boy, Joey's Destiny who keeps edging up the handicap but is mighty consistent & Red Refraction who has some decent form on a softer surface further back in his form, he has a low weight tomorrow & is in good form this year. Clear Spring ran a race full of promise last time out but would prefer better ground. Breccbennach is on a hat trick but is up in grade on ground that he is not proven on. Fairway To Heaven's last run was at Group 3 level over this course & distance, he has been hit hard by the handicapper on all known form though. Secret Witness may have top weight but he is now on his last winning mark but he usually needs one or two runs to get ready.

I will play Joey's Destiny 10/1 & Red Refraction 10/1 (2nd DHT).
  

@fttfracing