San Antonio (16-5) gave trainer Aidan O'Brien another victory in the Boodles Dee Stakes beating his son Donnacha in the process on the second day of the Boodles Chester May Festival.
The Ballydoyle handler was landing the Dee Stakes for a 10th time, just one behind Barry Hills' record 11. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee the three-year-old son of Dubawi may have booked his ticket to a crack at next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom, for which he is a best-priced 25-1 with a number of firms including sponsors Betfred, Skybet, Paddy Power and BetVictor. San Antonio has been lightly raced and won on only his third start at Dundalk in March. And, under Ryan Moore, he landed another victory getting the better of 6-5 favourite Alder, trained by O'Brien's son Donnacha. It was a bit of a messy start to the race, with a few wanting to get to the front, but San Antonio settled into the lead on the inside and when he was still in front on the turn for home, he kicked clear. Favourite Alder, under Gavin Ryan, was in the rear for much of the contest and although he came through to challenge late on he never got to San Antonio, who scored by a length-and-three-quarters. Charlie Appleby's Local Destiny (5-2), under William Buick, was a further two-and-a-quarter-lengths back in third.
O'Brien said: "Donnacha's horse ran a stormer having got dropped back in a messy race. But Ryan had his horse in a better position and was able to control the race. We were always going to ride him forward. He's nice and relaxed and was happy to have horses around him, and he found plenty. Obviously it looks like he's adaptable and will get further. Epsom has to be looked at as well as Ascot and France. The lads will decide."
