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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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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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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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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Clerk of the Course Andrew Tulloch said, “It is deeply disappointing for all of us here, but the welfare of both horses and riders is paramount.

“The stewards followed the procedures in such instances, when they take a delegation of jockeys and trainers to inspect. They looked at the bend coming into the home straight, what we call the castle bend, and in the 3.45 there was a horse at the back of the field that sadly did lose his footing and that was the reason for the inspection.

“The stewards then heard from the jockeys and trainers and ourselves and their conclusion was that unfortunately we should abandon racing.

“We will go away, look at all the evidence and see if there is anything we can do to improve because none of us wants to see what has happened.

“It's really difficult, because plenty of jockeys came up to me and said it is beautiful ground, quite possibly the best ground we've raced on this season and then unfortunately you have an incident like this.”

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Indeed, thoughts are of June, specifically Epsom's June 3 G1 Cazoo Oaks, and she now rates as a general 14-1 ante-post chance for that Classic. “I think we have to be thinking of Epsom,” Coolmore's Kevin Buckley confirmed. “Aidan [O'Brien] will have a chat with the owners, which include our partners Moyglare Stud, but I think on that performance we'd have to head to Epsom. Aidan always felt that stepping her up in trip would be to her liking, he thought she'd handle it round the bends here and Ryan [Moore] was very happy. We made plenty of use of her at Leopardstown last time and it was always the plan to do that today, but she's fairly versatile I would imagine. We'll have to see what else happens in the trials. We were very happy with Tuesday in the Guineas and she seems to have come out of it well. We're looking forward to June.”

The trainer concurred. “We've always liked her a lot and I loved her run the first day back at Leopardstown behind Joseph's filly [Above The Curve],” he added. “I thought she'd come forward from that and she clearly did. She got a great ride from Ryan and they are obviously two very good fillies as Joseph's ran a great race too. We'd been thinking of the Oaks for her and that was the reason for sending her to Chester, to see if she'd handle it and it was going to teach her plenty. I haven't had chance to speak to Ryan, but she seemed to handle the [soft] ground fine and seems versatile.”

Thoughts of June is the latest of three foals, all by Galileo (Ire), and second winner produced by GI Del Mar Oaks heroine and six-time elite-level placegetter Discreet Marq (Marquetry), herself kin to three black-type performers headed by dual stakes-winning full-brother Too Discreet, and who was acquired by the Moyglare operation for a whopping $2.4-million at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 2014 November fixture. The April-foaled grey's stakes-winning second dam To Marquet (Marquetry), who also ran second in the GIII Tempted S., is a daughter of three-time stakes victrix Pretty Momma (Concorde Bound). Pretty Momma, in turn, is a half-sister to MGSW sire Unreal Turn (Unreal Zeal) and Shananie's Boss (Shananie), who saluted four times at black-type level, and hails from the family of GI Oaklawn H. and GI Arlington Classic-winning sire Lost Code (Codex).

Wednesday, Chester, Britain
WEATHERBYS BLOODSTOCK PRO CHESHIRE OAKS (FOR THE ROBERT SANGSTER MEMORIAL CUP)-Listed, £87,500, Chester, 5-4, 3yo, f, 11f 75yT, 2:31.64, sf.
1–THOUGHTS OF JUNE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Discreet Marq (GISW-US, $1,268,972), by Discreet Cat
2nd Dam: To Marquet, by Marquetry
3rd Dam: Pretty Momma, by Concorde Bound
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Moyglare Stud Farm, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £49,621. Lifetime Record: 4-1-2-0, $68,983 *348th stakes winner for sire.
2–Above The Curve, 128, f, 3, American Pharoah–Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. £18,813.
3–Typewriter (Ire), 128, f, 3, Gleneagles (Ire)–On Location, by Street Cry (Ire). (19,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; 26,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Castle Farm Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £9,415.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 7.00, 1.25, 9.00.
Also Ran: Moon de Vega (GB), Hello Jumeirah (GB), Wynter Wildes (GB), Night Battle (Ire), Improvise (Fr), Morning Poem (GB). Scratched: Makinmedoit (Ire).

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A Cut Above?
Joseph O'Brien's horses are striking form at present and the preceding Listed Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Cheshire Oaks sees the stable's Above the Curve (American Pharoah) bid to justify favouritism and book a ticket to Epsom. Her 2 1/2-length defeat of Ballydoyle's re-opposing Thoughts of June (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden Apr. 6 earned her a place in the pantheon of TDN Rising Stars and the relative of Giant's Causeway and Gleneagles (IRE) and co has now to prove worthy. She takes on the likes of Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa's Apr. 6 Lingfield novice scorer Night Battle (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and a clutch of other aspiring Epsom candidates in the first of several debutante's balls leading to the first Friday in June.

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Louise Stewart, chief executive at Chester Race Company Ltd, said, “We are very grateful to Boodles, an iconic British brand founded locally in Liverpool, for their continued commitment to Chester Racecourse. The Boodles Chester Vase is a highlight of the Boodles May Festival, and we are hugely looking forward to this year's renewal which will be run in front of crowds for the first time in two years.”

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Ryan Moore is looking forward to being reunited with Japan. “Ideally, we probably could have done without all the recent rain, but he finished fourth in a deep ground Arc a couple of years ago and is pretty versatile and hopefully his Group 1 class will see him through,” he said. “This is the longest trip he has faced, but the way in which he has finished off his races over a mile and a half when at his best suggests it should not be an issue. It'll take a very good one to beat him if he is on his A-game.”

In the Listed Dee S., Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to build on his comeback effort when third in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial. “He's sharpened up for that run at Sandown quite noticeably at home,” trainer Charlie Appleby commented. “We're putting the cheekpieces on him, just because he's got similar characteristics to his sister [Wild Illusion]–it's not that he's ungenuine, it's just to keep him focused. We didn't want to put the cheekpieces on and step him up to a mile and a half at the same time, so we opted to keep him to 10 furlongs.”

With eight wins in this, Aidan O'Brien knows what kind of material is required and last year's G2 Royal Lodge S. runner-up and G2 Futurity S. third Ontario (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the stable pick. Third over seven furlongs on his return in Newmarket's Listed European Free H. Apr. 14, he should appreciate this step up in trip. “He looks to hold pretty strong claims,” Ryan Moore said.  “He finished a good third in what appears a decent Free Handicap on his return, and his pedigree would give you every encouragement that the step up from seven to 10 furlongs or so here will suit this Galileo colt a lot better. He finished second in a Royal Lodge at two, while he also finished third to Mac Swiney in soft ground in the Futurity at The Curragh, so you'd have to be pretty hopeful, though his draw [in stall seven] could have been better, obviously.”

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While neither has attracted a standout this year, the Derby and Oaks trials are at times fertile ground for the lesser-exposed types to flaunt their wares such as Godolphin's Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) in the Vase. Having already proven himself on Epsom's inimitable terrain when winning the Apr. 20 Listed Blue Riband Trial, the Charlie Appleby-trained bay could become a serious contender for the Classic on the first Saturday in June if he is able to back up that performance here. “He's got his golden ticket to Epsom, but firstly we want to give him some more experience and secondly, we hope the step up to a mile-and-a-half at Chester will see further improvement,” Appleby explained. “He did all his best work in the last couple of hundred yards at Epsom and he's a horse who we think, with his pedigree and the way he races, should be suited by a step up in trip. He's by Kingman, but he does have a German pedigree on the dam's side, so one would hope he'll be able to handle softer ground.”

With Chester being hit by 26mm of rain from Monday, the good-to-soft going description means that Aidan O'Brien has stripped his Vase team to one with the likely favourite Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and his pacemaker San Martino (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) being left at home. He still has the Apr. 15 G3 Craven S. sixth Sandhurst (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to attempt to stretch his tally to 10 in this extended 12-furlong prize, having won six of those in the last seven runnings. Godolphin also have the John and Thady Gosden-trained Apr. 9 Leicester novice scorer Law of the Sea (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), whose stamina is assured unlike Michael Pescod's Listed Ascendant S. scorer Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) who steps up markedly in trip having finished one place behind the re-opposing Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) when fifth in the nine-furlong Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket Apr. 13.

“Law of the Sea has won well on his last two starts, firstly at Kempton and then at Leicester last time,” said trainer Thady Gosden. “He's a nice horse, who has already won over a mile-and-a-half, and he should handle the soft ground. It's a tough race, but hopefully he'll run well.”

In the Cheshire Oaks, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G2 May Hill S. and G3 Sweet Solera S. runner-up Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) sets a clear standard and probably only needs to repeat that form or that of her fourth in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October which is looking very strong now. Shadwell's unbeaten Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) could be a major Oaks contender and the form of her 1 1/4-length defeat of Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) in Newmarket's Listed Montrose Fillies' S. over a mile on heavy ground at Newmarket in October looks better now that the runner-up has won the Listed Pretty Polly S. “She's a nice, tough filly and she had a good year last year,” said Angus Gold. “She won on heavy ground at Newmarket and had to grind it out to do so. She's taken a bit of time to come to herself this spring. Roger [Varian] himself said we'll see her looking better than this, but she's done enough to start. Obviously the Oaks is approaching and we need to see if she's up to that class or not.”

One of the darker ones is Lord Lloyd-Webber's Darlectable You (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but the full-sister to Too Darn Hot (GB) has to improve markedly on her return second in a 10-furlong Newbury maiden Apr. 16. “She ran well at Newbury first time out this year,” commented Thady Gosden. “When she hit the front she just got a bit lonely, as you would expect. They've obviously had plenty of rain at Chester, which she will hopefully be able to handle. It's a good race with Mark Johnston's filly [Dubai Fountain], who was fourth in the Fillies' Mile, and Roger Varian's filly [Zeyaadah], who won the Montrose. It's a tough race, but our filly is in good form and hopefully she'll run well.”

At Gowran Park, last year's G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) looks to put a disappointing return effort behind her when ninth in the Listed Noblesse S. at Cork Apr.  3 as she tackles the 14-furlong Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Vintage Tipple. “I'm hoping that the ground stays yielding-to-soft and the extra two furlongs should make a difference as she's getting fitter all the time,” revealed trainer Tony Mullins. “This will be her last run before the Ascot Gold Cup and I'm hoping to see a big improvement from Cork. She's got to give away weight, but she's going to have to do that all the time now, apart from in Group 1s, and we can't avoid it. Gowran is our local track and the race is named after a horse my father trained to win a Classic, so it would be a lovely to win it.”

In the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial over an extended nine furlongs, Ballydoyle's Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) goes up in trip after going a shade too quick in front before fading to 10th in Leopardstown's seven-furlong G3 1000 Guineas Trial Apr. 11. The full-sister to Minding (Ire) encounters older fillies and mares including Moyglare Stud Farm's progressive Listed Trigo S. winner and G2 Blandford S. runner-up Amma Grace (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who as a full-sister to Search For a Song (Ire) and half to Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) et al is a fascinating prospect as a 4-year-old.

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