Two more records for O'Brien as Chester dominance continues
Aidan O’Brien took sole ownership of the record for victories in the Dee Stakes and the Ormonde Stakes on Thursday, thanks to a second double in as many days at the May meeting with Mount Kilimanjaro and Illinois. Both winners were delivered with precision by Ryan Moore to lead in the straight, and within sight of the winning line in the case of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Moore’s mount was under a ride and seemingly going nowhere with just over a furlong to run in the 10-furlong Dee Stakes, a trial for the Derby at Epsom next month, but when Moore finally coaxed him through the gears, Mount Kilimanjaro produced a relentless run down the middle of the track to overhaul High Stock a few strides from the post.
The winner was cut to around 20-1 for the Derby but, like the runner-up, could switch instead to the French equivalent – the Prix du Jockey Club on 1 June – over the same trip as Thursday’s trial.
Mount Kilimanjaro brought up a dozen wins for O’Brien in the Dee Stakes, one more than Barry Hills, who was similarly dominant in the Dee in the 1980s and 1990s, while Illinois’ strong-staying success in the Ormonde took the trainer to seven victories in the race, one more than the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute.
Illinois was the runner-up in two Group One events last year including the 12-furlong Grand Prix de Paris and he is now likely to drop back to a mile-and-a-half for the Coronation Cup on the first day of Epsom’s Derby meeting.
With the meeting’s Classic trials now in the form book, attention at Chester will turn to Friday’s Chester Cup, the track’s most storied and historic race. A field of 16 runners is due off at 3.05 for two full circuits of the Roodee, with a first prize of £86,000 and, according to tradition, an enormous Cheshire Cheese for the winner. The blog will be back for the big betting race of the week, but for now, I’m signing off from the Roodeye to take a final swing through the Chester Cup form.
Chester 1.30 Two Tempting (nb) 2.05 Ammes 2.35 Space Legend 3.05 Caballo De Mar (nap) 3.40 Let’s Dream 4.10 Sportingsilvermine 4.45 Surrey Belle
Ascot 1.50 Power Fizz 2.20 Ruby’s Angel 2.55 El Budoor 3.25 Kodi Lion 4.00 Corolla Point 4.35 Bulletin 5.10 Poncho
Market Rasen 2.10 Rukaana 2.45 All Well And Good 3.15 Kayce Dutton 3.50 Ajp Kingdom 4.23 Bethpage 5.00 Iron Heart
Hereford 4.55 Chestnut Pete 5.30 Golden De Coeur 6.05 Musique De Fee 6.40 The Dream Goes On 7.15 Captain Attridge 7.50 Rewired
Nottingham 5.15 Stormy Pearl 5.50 Tara Iti 6.25 River King 7.00 Gigi Bliss 7.35 Chess Dad 8.10 Beltane
Ripon 5.45 Alaskan Light 6.20 Zappata 6.55 Reigning Profit 7.30 Late Arrival 8.05 Dubawi Time 8.35 I Got Know How
Updated
Illnois has an entry in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on 6 June over a mile-and-a-half and that could well be his next stop. He’s now around 8-1 to get a first Group One win on his record.
