Chester latest: Dubai Fountain wins Cheshire Oaks

Get the latest news from day one of Chester’s May meeting where Youth Spirit earned 16/1 Cazoo Derby quotes after winning the Vase.

Youth to the fore in the Vase

YOUTH SPIRIT threw down a decisive late challenge to win the Chester Vase.

6/4 favourite Wirko set out to make all but he was beaten turning in when Fancy Man came with a strong run to pass him and set sail for home.

However he couldn’t sustain the charge and Tom Marquand and the winner came through to reel him in and score by a length-and-three-quarters from the staying-on Sandhurst (6/1).

“I was really impressed. It was my first time sitting on him today and all-the-way round he was just coming on and off the bridle, he was struggling to pick himself up,” said Marquand.

“We didn’t go overly quick but when you get serious on him that’s when he gets racing. The owner had Khalifa Sat finish second in the Derby last year. The question about this colt was would he stay a mile-and-a-half? I think he’s answered that one well.”

Balding was represented by his wife, Anna Lisa, who said: “Andrew has always thought a lot of him and today has shown what we wanted to find out. I’m sure the owner will be looking forward to a runner in the Derby so I’d be amazed if he didn’t show up at Epsom.

“Somebody made me aware the other day that it is 50 years since Mill Reef won the Derby for Kingsclere, which is fantastic, but it will be a little bit quieter this year.

“When Tom got on him he said ‘a Camelot round here on soft ground, he’ll love it’ and he was right. He was a massive price, I couldn’t believe it. Andrew’s record in the Derby isn’t great, but he was second and fourth last year.”

Sky Bet introduced Youth Spirit at 16/1 for the Cazoo Derby. Betfair and Paddy Power are 25/1 from 100/1.

Fountain strikes for Norton

13/8 favourite DUBAI FOUNTAIN got first run on the strong-travelling Zeyaadah (5/1) and landed the Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks.

Franny Norton tracked the pace-setting Quenelle D’or aboard the winner before going home on the final turn.

At that stage the runner-up was in behind horses and once in the clear began to close down her rival but was never quite getting there, Mark Johnston’s charge scoring by a length.

The winning trainer said: “It will be straight to Epsom now, we were saying throughout last year we thought she was an Oaks filly rather than a Guineas filly. She obviously failed to win a Group race last year, but she ran some great races. We’ve been thinking about the Oaks for a long time.

“She was beaten just a length by the Guineas winner (Mother Earth) over a mile last year, when we always felt she’d be better over further.

“I don’t think the key to her chance was going up in trip, she’s good enough, otherwise you’d be saying that about every horse who ran in a trial. She’s been running at that level (Group One) there’s no reason to think she’s not good enough. We’ll just have to hope there’s not one better!”

“I was going to make it but I didn’t get a clear jump,” the winning rider told ITV Racing.

“James Doyle did and then he was stopping and starting it. My filly picked up and did it well. She finished last season good and has started this season good so let’s see where we go from here,”

Sky Bet make the winner 12/1 from 33s for the Cazoo Oaks with the runner-up 14/1 from 18s. Betfair and Paddy Power are 14/1 about both Dubai Fountain and Zeyaadah.

Sky Bet Head of Sports PR Michael Shinners said: “It was a good performance from Dubai Fountain to beat what looked a decent field. We now go 12/1 for the Cazoo Oaks with the second Zeyaadah 14/1 after a staying on second.”

Navello scorches to Lily Agnes

George Boughey’s NAVELLO romped to glory in the ICM Stellar Sports Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes.

It was the first race at this traditional spring festival for two years after last year’s card was abandoned with no racing taking place in May 2020 and it was great to see the early juveniles scorch around the Roodee.

Navello tracked the leader Devious Angel under Nicola Currie throughout but hit the front after negotiating the home bend and the son of Ivawood stretched clear for an impressive six-length success.

Devious Angel had to settle for second, Beauzon was third and newcomer Mojomaker was all at sea on this track on debut, finishing a tailed off last.

“He’s a horse on an upward curve,” Boughey said.

“We were quite confident, he did quite a good time [at Brighton] and he’s learning, he keeps taking a step forward.

“I think we’ll go to the National Stakes [at Sandown] next, it seems the obvious place to go with him. Hopefully we can get a bit of black type.”

Easterby on target with Showalong

Tim Easterby and David Allan landed the tote+ At tote.co.uk Handicap with the well-backed 13/8 favourite SHOWALONG.

The winner took aim at leader First Company (8/1) inside the final furlong and was in command long before the line, scoring by three-quarters-of-a-length.

It was a further four lengths back to Cuban Breeze (13/2) in third.

Assistant trainer William Easterby said: “One of his owners is an official at York so the big three-year-old handicap there is on the agenda. But the race we won at Royal Ascot last year with Art Power (Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap) could suit him first, over a stiff five.”

The winning rider said: “He ran a strong race first time out and he does appreciate some cut in the ground so the rain helped him which is probably why he shortened up in the betting. He’s a horse we think can progress a bit this year. They went a nice gallop for him and he did it nicely.”

Dascombe and Kingscote off the mark

PAWS FOR THOUGHT (5/1) ran out a ready winner of the tote+ Pays You More At tote.co.uk Handicap for the local team of Tom Dascombe and Richard Kingscote.

The son of Requinto swept clear inside the distance to score by two-and-a-half lengths from Pivoting (8/1) with 11/8 favourite Uncle Jumbo a neck away in third.

The winning rider said: “It’s a relief to get a winner on day one for Tom, it’s an important week for him and the horse has done it well. The horse looked a picture coming here today and it’s great to have a winner.”

Dascombe added: “Richard is excellent at getting them out of the stalls and you could see with three furlongs to go the horse had won. It’s brilliant placing by the owner as I had wanted to run on Thursday in the seven furlong race but he said no drop back him to six so I can’t take any of the credit.”

Alfaadhel up and running

ALFAADHEL overhauled the enterprisingly ridden Immelmann to win the Boodles Maiden Stakes.

Jim Crowley was always travelling powerfully aboard the one-raced son of Night Of Thunder but turning in the runner-up set sail for home and opened up daylight on the field.

However he couldn’t’ repel the late thrust of the Roger Varian-trained winner who was a length-and-a-quarter to the good at the line.

“We had a nice position and he came into the race turning for home going well but probably struggled a little bit with the ground a bit too soft for him and he made it hard work up the straight,” the winning rider said.

“He’s a fine big horse and that Newbury debut run looked quite smart and he came forward for it. He did well today and will hopefully take another step forward.”

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