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Conditions To Suit For Local Dynasty In the Dee

Wide-margin winners trended on a rain-softened opening to Chester's May Festival and, with testing conditions set for day two at the Roodeye, it will be as you were turning to Thursday's Listed Boodles Dee S., another G1 Derby trial, and the Tote-sponsored G3 Ormonde S. for the older stayers.

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will relish the muddy track, according to Charlie Appleby, and returns off a soft-ground breakthrough score in October's Listed Pontefract Castle when last seen.

“He has done well over the winter and we know that he will handle the ground following his wins at Sandown and Pontefract,” the trainer said. “Stepping up in trip looks as though it should suit and this seems a decent starting point for his campaign.”

O'Brien Dynasty To Retain Sovereignty?

Aidan O'Brien has struck for seven of the last 10 editions and relies on Dundalk maiden winner San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in his quest for an overall 10th triumph, which would be one shy of Barry Hills' record 11.

“He's in good form and won his maiden nicely in Dundalk,” the trainer commented. “I don't know if he's run in that ground before, so we're not sure about that, but he's in good form.”

Son Donnacha also has representation and sends forth G2 Golden Fleece S. third Alder (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who will line up off a comeback win at Cork last month.

“He's a very nice horse and we've always thought a lot of him,” said the junior O'Brien. “He was always going to make a better 3-year-old and the race is timed nicely for him. It's three weeks from his last run and then about three weeks to the Derby, so it has worked out well and we will learn a bit more about him.”

Possible Delays For Passenger's Return

It's been a long 20 years since the Dee hosted a subsequent Blue Riband hero, Kris Kin (Kris S.) doing the double for Sir Michael Stoute, but the veteran maestro's impressive Wood Ditton winner Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) is by no means a certain starter in this year's renewal.

“Sir Michael is going to review the ground in the morning and should it be deemed too soft, Passenger may not run,” revealed Niarchos Family's racing manager Alan Cooper. “He's a horse that needs good ground, so it wouldn't make sense for his second start to run the horse on an unsuitable surface.”

Ormonde Duel In Store

Later on the card, the eight-runner G3 tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Ormonde S. appears to be a straight-up duel between 2022 hero Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and Ballydoyle's G1 Derby fifth and G2 King Edward VII victor Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who annexed last year's G3 Chester Vase at this meeting.

“He carries a penalty and is very well, but could have done with a better draw,” said trainer William Haggas of the former. “He's ready to go, he enjoys a bit of cut in the ground and I believe it is going to be quite soft. He should enjoy it and we will try to take advantage of the [soft] ground while we have it.”

Ryan Moore is hopeful Changingoftheguard, who comes back off a 328-day break, is up to the task on seasonal return.

“He was very impressive in testing ground when winning the Chester Vase here last season and followed up with a good fifth in the Derby,” the rider said. “We never saw him after [the King Edward VII at] Royal Ascot as he picked up an injury, but we are obviously very happy with him now or else we wouldn't be here. Hopefully, he can get a Group 1 on his CV this season. It's a deep and tough race for a Group 3, but this is a good starting point for him.”

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Swordlestown Little Team Say Soft Ground Key To Arrest’s Derby Claims

Swordlestown Little's Mariann Klay, who along with her husband Des Leadon bred the impressive G3 Chester Vase winner and new Derby favourite Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), says that soft ground will be key to the Juddmonte colt's Epsom challenge.

Arrest, trained by John and Thady Gosden, shot to the head of the Derby market after sluicing up in his favoured testing ground at Chester on Wednesday.

That prompted bookmakers to propel Arrest to Derby favouritism at odds of 6-1, usurping 2,000 Guineas disappointment Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Klay described breeding a Derby favourite from the brilliant bargain buy Nisriyna (Ire) (Intikhab) as a dream and said the success could provide inspiration for smaller breeders in the future.

“It's wonderful–it's what everyone dreams of and, when it comes off, it's amazing,” she said after the race on Wednesday.

“It's special because the odds are always stacked against you and so much can go wrong. It doesn't matter how well-bred they are or what trainers they are with, things can go wrong, so when it actually does happen, it really is special.”

Klay added, “Arrest loved the soft ground so, if Epsom came up soft, that would be great. I don't think he would run on anything other than soft ground but he is a very good horse, there's no doubt about it. The lovely thing is, he is a very good horse for the future, even beyond this year. He could be an exciting older horse.”

Nisriyna was snapped up for just €2,000 by Klay and Leadon at the Goffs November Sale in 2010. It has proved to be money well spent with the mare producing six individual winners, including three black-type performers who achieved ratings of 110 or more.

Indeed, the standard in which Arrest was held in by Juddmonte was evident at Goffs last November when the internationally acclaimed owner-breeders snapped up a Wootton Bassett (GB) foal out of the mare for €340,000.

Going back to the beginning of the success story, Klay said, “Des and I used to ride out at John Oxx's [where Nisriyna was trained but never raced], hence I knew Nisriyna's family, which allowed us to go for her at the sales. It was just one of those lucky days that we made a lucky call.

“It doesn't always happen but I suppose it will give hope to small breeders as we only have five mares and it shows you don't always have to spend a lot of money.”

Nisriyna is also the notable producer of Dinozzo (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}), a winner of over €1 million in prize-money in Hong Kong, and the talented sprinter Spring Loaded (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}).

The 16-year-old darling of Swordlestown Little is reported to have a Dark Angel (Ire) colt foal at foot and, after scanning successfully in foal to Juddmonte's Kingman (GB), Klay and Leadon have ever more reason to dream.

Klay said, “She's actually in New England Stud as we speak. She has been scanned in foal to Kingman and has a nice colt by Dark Angel at foot. Obviously I can't wait to have her home! It would just be lovely if we could have a filly out of her now.”

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Marwan Koukash Removed As Registered Owner Following Bankruptcy

Chester regular Marwan Koukash has been removed as a registered owner by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) due to being declared bankrupt, according to published reports.

The 69-year-old Palestinian won the Chester Cup four times with his runners between 2008 and 2018. His record at the track stands at 97 winners. Holding a PhD in electrical engineering, the businessman owned the Salford City Reds rugby team at one time, as well as a string of hotels among his various interests.

The bankruptcy petition was filed in June of 2022 and granted in September of that year. Koukash had his final runner in November, and, as soon as the BHA was made aware of the former millionaire's situation, his colours were struck from the register.

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Classic Dreams Spun On The Roodeye

Chester's unique “Roodeye” course swings back into action on Wednesday, with the often-informative three-day May Festival kicking off with the G3 Boodles Chester Vase and Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Cheshire Oaks starting the raft of English trials for the Derby and Oaks.

With the Epsom picture clouded by the outcome of the 2000 Guineas and no obvious candidate emerging from the 1000 Guineas, we are officially into the informative period and the silly season at the same time with the next fortnight set to witness the usual violent fluctuations of fortunes and ante-post prices ahead of the two crowning middle-distance Classics.

Chester's Vase and Cheshire Oaks tend to produce more place prospects than heroes at Epsom, but this is a year where a Ruler Of The World (Ire) could emerge even if the prospect of another Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) might be asking a bit much. The Vase sees Juddmonte's Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) re-engage with Ballydoyle's Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) after they were second and third respectively and separated by six lengths in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October. Given that the race's winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) neither excelled nor let the form down in the Guineas on Saturday, both probably need to do something impressive here to make big waves in the Derby market.

Interestingly, Arrest's prior efforts have also come to take on greater merit. A debut third to the G1 Dewhurst S. third Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) at Sandown in July, the John and Thady Gosden trainee beat Sea Of Roses (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) convincingly at Ffos Las before she went on to beat the Oaks mover Infinite Cosmos (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and finish runner-up to Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Prix Penelope.

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte, has misgivings about the course. “Chester is probably not his ideal track, but we were meant to go to Sandown and unfortunately it was abandoned with the rain,” he explained. “The Vase was Plan C, as originally we were going to the Dee S. but the forecast is giving plenty of rain coming in on the Wednesday afternoon and night, so we said we'd go for the fresh ground on Wednesday.”

“He was a big frame last year and he is definitely a stronger horse this year,” Mahon added. “John and Thady said the other morning that the experience of Chester would do him good. If we ended up going to Epsom, he will have that under his belt. We have seen it in the last few years with Aidan and Barry Hills before that, they all take them to Chester for the reason that they get that experience, with the crowd on top of them.”

Oaks On Her Dancecard…

Aidan O'Brien has won four of the last seven Cheshire Oaks and seven in total, so the yard's likely hot favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the obvious place to start. She may have been 20-1 as she captured the same 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden in which last year's winner Thoughts Of June (Ire)–also by Galileo (Ire)–had been second, but she has made a leap forward from two to three and is as live an Oaks candidate as there is around at the moment. Dash Grange Stud's Listed Koln-Winterkonigin Trial winner Sirona (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is also sure to have more to offer at three, even if she disappointed when trailing as the re-opposing Luckin Brew (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was second in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract in October.

Sirona's owner Jayne McGivern said of the Charlie Johnston trainee, “She has wintered really well. She is working well at home and is bred for distance and we were surprised at how well she had done as a 2-year-old over a mile. We kind of were not expecting that. This will tell us a lot about her. She had a fantastic page when I bought her, she's not overly big, but her confirmation's great and she surprised us how good she was and she got black-type. I think the Silver Tankard was a race too far, as she had a few races in quick succession.”

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