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Chester Friday review: Cleveland lands Chester Cup
A review of the action from Friday's meeting at Chester where Cleveland capped Ryan Moore's remarkable week by winning the Chester Cup.
Cup king Cleveland strikes for Ballydoyle
Ryan Moore showed nerves of steel as he capped an exceptional week by giving Aidan O’Brien a first victory in the tote+ Chester Cup with Cleveland.
The red-hot rider was partnering his eighth winner of the May Festival as he guided the lightly-raced four-year-old to a narrow success on what was the Camelot colt’s first try beyond 10 furlongs and just his fifth career start.
Moore took a brave route in the two-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece, sticking to the inside rail on the notoriously tight track, content to sit in the pack for the majority of the two circuits before angling out at the top of the finishing straight in search of a run.
Coltrane (9/2 favourite) had already set sail for home, but when Cleveland (6/1) found space he accelerated in fine style for Moore, moving upsides with half a furlong to run before shading it by a neck on the line – a fifth win in as many Chester runners for O’Brien this week.
Rajinsky was third, with another Irish raider Arcadian Sunrise fourth. Last year’s winner Falcon Eight kept on from the back to finish fifth under top-weight.
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Paddy Power slashed the winner to 12/1 from 66s for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
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 unstoppable run on the Roodee, which has included all three Classic trials on O’Brien-trained horses, 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, Coolmore’s UK representative, 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.”
Speaking from his Ballydoyle base, a modest 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."
Moore delight for in-form Ryan
Moore was also on target as Solid Stone dominated the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing IRE-Incentive Scheme Huxley Stakes.
The rider has been in flying form on the Roodee, claiming each of the three Classic trials on Aidan O’Brien-trained runners, but it was long-time associate Sir Michael Stoute who provided him with his latest success.
Moore looked eager to make all on the 4/1 shot, but with Majestic Dawn also keen to set the gallop, Solid Stone was instead settled in second and bowled along nicely.
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In contrast 5/6 favourite Megallan never looked at home on the track, with Frankie Dettori getting to work a long way from the finish, also being pushed out wide as Moore unleased Solid Stone’s challenge.
The latter effortlessly assumed control in the straight and while Certain Lad – making his return from a 532-day absence – was game in defeat, he never looked like troubling the winner, being beaten three lengths at the line.
Stoute was not on the Roodee, but was pleased with what he saw.
“That was a nice performance. I’m not sure where we will go next. We were very pleased with that,” said the Freemason Lodge handler, whose charge was bouncing back from a below-par effort at the Saudi Cup meeting in January.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, said: “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."
Rest of the action
Flaming Rib added to Hugo Palmer’s already “well-stocked” three-year-old sprinting team with a smooth display in the Boodles Secret Garden Conditions Stakes at Chester.
Palmer can call on Ebro River and Hierarchy, who both showed top-class form at two, Wednesday’s easy winner Ever Given and now Flaming Rib – and at this stage all seem to be six-furlong horses.
Having failed to see out seven furlongs in the Greenham, the 6/4 chance took over at the head of affair early in the straight and comfortably held off the favourite King’s Lynn by a length and a half.
“He’s done it really well. Michael (Owen) had a fantasy that he might be a Guineas horse which is why we took him to the Greenham first time out. On pedigree there was a chance he’d get a mile,” said Palmer.
“However, despite the best efforts of the team to get him settled at home as soon as he left the stalls at Newbury he told us he was a sprinter!
“He actually ran well in the Greenham, despite not beating a horse, and he’s come back and done that today. We’re well-stocked in this department and we’ll try to keep them apart until it’s a Group One.
“He’s actually in a Group Three over France, but Ebro River might go there so we’ve some thinking to do. We’ve got Hierarchy and Ever Given to fit in, too.”
Followers of the form book were rewarded when Baryshnikov followed up a recent Pontefract win in the Deepbridge Handicap.
David and Nicola Barron’s six-year-old had beaten Amy Murphy’s Pride Of America with something to spare and when that one came out and bolted up on Thursday, Baryshnikov’s chance was there for all to see.
Sent off the 5/2 second-favourite behind Mujtaba, the two market leaders went for the same gap in the home straight. Jim Crowley held his line on the market leader, forcing Connor Beasley to look inside and it could not have worked out better.
He got a dream split on the rail and while Cap Francais, a winner at Newmarket just last week, closed to within a length, the result was never in doubt.
“When we saw Amy’s win yesterday we were delighted as this fellow did it nicely at Pontefract,” said Beasley.
“That boosted the form and he loves it around here. He got into a nice rhythm, but you need all the luck in the world on a horse like him to get the splits. Luckily they came at the right time.
“He’s a dude of a horse, he seems to be improving at the minute and hopefully he’s on an upward curve. It’s great to deliver winners like this for the team, it’s the same as it always has been but Nicola’s name is in the racecard now.”
Andrew Balding is usually a man to follow at this meeting but he had been quiet this week by his lofty standards until Red Mirage (6/1) won the ICM Stellar Sports Earl Grosvenor Handicap.
Formerly with Mark Johnston, he won on his first start for his new yard three weeks ago and followed up from just 1lb higher under David Probert, albeit Boosala closed to within a nose.
“Andrew was pretty confident but my owner was a little bit worried about the ground thinking it might be too soft,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail.
“He seems in good form now, though, and David gave him a lovely ride, he rides him well. I’d imagine we’ll just have a chat once we know he’s OK after this, but going into the race Andrew was very happy and I got the impression he would run well."