Lambourn and Minnie Hauk double up for O'Brien at Chester
Aidan O’Brien completed a 5-1 double in the week’s first significant trials for the Epsom Classics – the Oaks on 6 June and the Derby 24 hours later – as Minnie Hauk and Lambourn showed that they have the balance, stamina and engine that punters look for in a potential Epsom contender with strong-staying victories in the Cheshire Oaks and Chester Vase respectively here on Wednesday. Whether either also has the best-of-their-generation class to join a Classic’s roll of honour will not be apparent until next month, but their performances are a useful benchmark as the cycle of trials follows its traditional path through Chester and on to Lingfield, Leopardstown and next week’s Dante meeting at York.
Both Minnie Hauk and Lambourn will also have learned a good deal about the business of racing from their appearances here, and Minnie Hauk in particular will be expected to make significant progress for the experience, having had just two starts prior to today’s outing. She is the new 12-1 third favourite for the Oaks, behind Desert Flower, Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas winner, and Falakeyah, the winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes the same afternoon, while Lambourn’s odds for the Derby range from 14-1 to 25-1.
In terms of the Derby, attention now turns to the Dee Stakes here tomorrow, a race that O’Brien has won 11 times in the past and where he runs Mount Kilimanjaro, the runner-up behind stable companion Twain in a Group One at Saint-Cloud in October, this time around. Calla Lagoon, a lightly-raced son of New Bay trained by Ralph Beckett, is due to take him on, as is the recent Wood Ditton Stakes winner at Newmarket, High Stock.
Another informative day is in store, plus a fascinating clash between Absurde, fifth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, and Illinois, a narrow second in the 2024 St Leger, in the Ormonde Stakes.
Chester: 1.30 Fair Taxes 2.05 Dubai Time 2.35 Calla Lagoon 3.05 Absurde (nap) 3.40 Sex On Fire (nb) 4.10 Liberty Coach 4.45 Kuredu King.
Huntingdon: 1.45 Taxus Baccata 2.15 Knights Affair 2.45 Loud And Proud 3.15 Presenting Yeats 3.50 Iskar D’Airy 4.25 St Jessica.
Brighton: 2.25 Forever Noah 2.55 Saliko 3.25 Ballarat Bertie 4.00 Sea Of Charm 4.35 Kranjcar 5.10 Anglesey Lad.
Stratford-on-Avon: 5.25 Crystal Glance 5.55 Ronnies Rules 6.30 Summerleaze 7.05 Penthouse Poppet 7.35 My Virtue 8.05 Raby Mere.
Chelmsford: 6.20 Little She 6.55 Bill Plumb 7.25 Cayman Dancer 7.55 Killenaule 8.25 Star Legend 8.55 Ocean Odyssey.
Updated
And here’s the latest Derby betting after Lambourn ground out the win in the Chester Vase, his odds range from 14-1 all the way out to 25-1.
7-2 The Lion In Winter
4-1 Ruling Court
8-1 Twain & Delacroix
25-1 Stanhope Gardens, Green Impact & Lambourn
33-1 bar
Updated
