Jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Aidan O'Brien's fine week on the Roodee was capped as Cleveland (6-1) swooped late to win the tote+ Chester Cup Handicap on the final day of the 2022 Boodles Chester May Festival.
It was Moore's eighth winner over the three days at Chester and a second success in the prestigious feature of the meeting after he partnered Suegioo to victory in 2014 – but it was first for Ballydoyle maestro O'Brien.
O'Brien also made it a perfect five wins from five runners this week, including Changingoftheguard's Chester Vase victory and Dee Stakes scorer Star Of India. And the Irish trainer has plenty of ammunition for further big-race success over the coming months at Epsom and Royal Ascot, despite the news that his Cazoo Derby favourite Luxembourg met with a setback and is a doubt to make it to the Colts' Classic on June 4.
For Cleveland, though, a bid for Ascot Gold Cup glory at the Royal meeting next month is a possibility.
Moore had the four-year-old Camelot colt sat in the pack off the pace set by outsider Torcello. And as they went for home after the final turn, Rajinsky (6-1) came through on the inside rail to lead.
But Andrew Balding's 9-2 favourite Coltrane came down the outside and looked to have timed his move to perfection, but Cleveland tracked his run to land a neck success.
Trainer Hugo Palmer, who took over at the former Liverpool FC striker Michael Owen's Cheshire yard from Tom Dascombe in the summer saw Rajinsky finish a further length-and-a-quarter back in third. Arcadian Sunrise (6-1) was the same distance further adrift in fourth with last year's winner Falcon Eight, under Frankie Dettori, in fifth.
Moore said: "He made a nice enough comeback over 10 furlongs, but the quicker ground today would have helped him.
"He was still a little bit of a baby going around there, but he hasn't had many runs. We didn't have a lot of room, but he was able to pick his way through.
"I always felt like I was going to win if I could find the right gaps and got enough space.
"Maybe it wasn't the best Chester Cup ever run, but I'm delighted to have won."
On his fine week on the Roodee, Moore added: "It's been a good week, the horses have been running great, they have been all year in fairness and there's a lot to look forward to, hopefully."
Kevin Buckley, owners Coolmore's UK representative, was overjoyed with the success over the three days at Chester.
He said: "It's been an incredible week, that tops it all. I'm stuck for words. It's incredible, isn't it? It's unreal, I'm kind of lost for words.
"We weren't fully sure whether he'd be able to last out that trip, which clearly he did. He's a fine-looking horse and the fact he was kept in training was indicative that he (O'Brien) had seen something early on.
"I always love coming to Chester in any case, but this week has been simply stunning. To win both Derby trials, the Oaks trial and to top it off with the Chester Cup is simply sensational.
"What Aidan has done with this horse is incredible, he hadn't run for over 500 days before he ran at Naas and now he's just won the Chester Cup on just the fifth run of his life."
Cleveland's odds for Ascot Gold Cup glory have been slashed, with Betfair going 10-1 from 66-1.
Speaking from his Ballydoyle base, O'Brien said: "We're delighted.
"We liked him a lot at two but then he got a little setback which kept him off the track for a while.
"We were thrilled with his first run back at Naas and we were always sure he'd make up into a middle-distance horse, if not further.
"The decision we had to make was whether he ran in this or the Ormonde, but we just thought he would learn more if he ran in the Chester Cup and we weren't sure he was ready for a race like the Ormonde. Ryan gave him a beautiful ride.
"He's in a lot of big races as we were still learning about him when we had to make the entries. We'll decide nearer the time which one suits him best."
Solid Stone (4-1) landed the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Ire-Incentive Scheme Huxley Stakes (IRE Incentive Race) to add to jockey Ryan Moore's superb week on the Roodee.
Under Moore, who was landing a seventh winner of the week, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained six-year-old sat just off Majestic Dawn early on with the John and Thady Gosden-trained 5-6 favourite Megallan seemingly not handlging the track in rear under Frankie Dettori.
As Megallan tried to bridge the gap, Solid Stone moved out and ahead of him before taking the lead coming into the home straight. And he quickly put daylight to his rivals and scored by three lengths from the 14-1 outsider of the four runners Certain Lad – making his first start for 532 days – staying on well for second with Megallan a massive nine lengths back in third.
Solid Stone may now head to Royal Ascot next month for either the Prince of Wales's Stakes over the same 1m2f distance as this Chester contest or stepping up to 1m4f for the Hardwicke Stakes.
Stoute was not on the Roodee, but said: "That was a nice performance. I'm not sure where we will go next. We were very pleased with that."
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, added: "We ignored the Saudi run. It was too firm for him, he was stuck on the outside and he just didn't go at all.
"Last season ended with a couple of Group Three wins. I don't know where he'll go know, Sir Michael might have a plan.
"He's a pretty good horse and the way he won there, he's probably better than he's ever been.
"Ryan seemed a bit surprised about the way he picked up there, because before he could be a bit laboured.
"Sir Michael really knows him know. He's in good hands."
While winning jockey Moore said: "He stays very well. He's getting older and he looks after himself.
"They went very hard today, but he's honest and he stuck it out very well.
"Maybe the others had excuses. He disappointed in Saudi, but he's done it well there."
Thady Gosden felt Megallan didn't handle the unique turns of Chester, saying: "They went very hard in front and he wasn't in love with the tight turns. You live and learn, it's unlikely we'll bring him back here but he's fine, it just hasn't worked out here. I don't know where we'll go next."
Andrew Balding's Red Mirage (6-1) narrowly followed-up a recent win on the all-weather at Chelmsford City with another back on Turf in the Icm Stellar Sports Earl Grosvenor Handicap.
The four-year-old gelded son of Showcasing broke well from a decent low draw in stall two, tracking Fool Rush In.
Under David Probert, Red Mirage hit the front after the turn for home in the seven-furlong contest. But as he galloped to the line, several finished fast from the back with Boosala (9-2), under the in-form Ryan Moore, and Revich (13-2) the leading challengers. But Red Mirage just held on by a nose from Boosala with Revich a further half-a-length back in third.
Red Mirage is now two from two starts since switching to the Balding yard from Mark Johnston's Middleham stable.
Flaming Rib (6-4) provided Michael Owen and Hugo Palmer with another 'home win' in the Boodles Secret Garden Conditions Stakes.
The three-year-old, sporting the dark blue colours which Brown Panther wore for Owen when winning at Royal Ascot in 2011 and the Irish St Leger three years later, flew home to land the five-furlong sprint by a length-and-a-half from The Queen's King's Lynn (11-8 favourite).
It was the second winner of the week for the Cheshire-based Manor House Stables operation and the ex-Reds forward was delighted.
Baryshnikov (5-2) slipped up the inside rail to win the Deepbridge Handicap.
The David Barron-trained six-year-old has won twice before at Chester, including at this meeting 12 months ago, and he scored by a length from the Cap Francais (6-1), who was finishing fast on the outside but couldn't get to the winner. Another horse who has won a few times at Chester in the past, the Ian Williams-trained 10-year-old Restorer (16-1), ran a fine race to be third a further half-a-lenth adrift.
