15:15 Chester

Thursday 11 May 2023

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:4516:2016:55

tote.co.uk Bet 5 Get 20 Ormonde Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 3m 6.02s

(7)

Hamish²⁰¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 117| BF| CD

7/4

Very smart gelding who landed this in stylish fashion last season. Won Cumberland Lodge subsequently and wasn't disgraced when narrowly denied by Max Vea in St Simon Stakes at Newbury on final out of the campaign. Should take all the beating.

Form: 47/1212-

(8)

Max Vega¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 110

11/1

Smart sort who ran respectably in his bid for back-toback John Porter wins at Newbury 19 days ago. Should come on for that and is likely to put up a solid showing.

Form: 56071-3

(4)

Changingoftheguard³²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 109| C

11/10

Chester Vase winner last year and was right back to form when landing the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Not seen since but has to be respected on return.

Form: 52/1151-

(2)

Enemy⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: R Kingscote| T: Ian Williams| OR: 112

16/1

Smart gelding. Latest win at Meydan in January. Better than result when 11¼ lengths eighth of 15 to Broome in Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan (15.9f, good to firm, 13/2) 47 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 580-128

(5)

Lone Eagle^b¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 107

10/1

Very smart colt at his best for Martyn Meade, second in 2021 Irish Derby. Hasn't been able to reproduce that form since though, including when only fifth in John Porter Stakes at Newbury on debut for current yard. Others make more appeal.

Form: 25/357-5

(6)

Sunchart¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Andrew Slattery| T: A Slattery| OR: 103

40/1

Useful sort who wasn't at his best when a well-held fourth in a listed contest at Navan last time and would struggle in this company even on his best form.

Form: 2572-24

Non-Runners

(1)

Israr¹⁸⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 4

T: J & T Gosden J: Jim Crowley

(3)

Old Harrovian³¹

Weight: 9-2| Age: 4

T: A M Balding J: Oisin Murphy

Forecasts

Changingoftheguard (11/10), Hamish (7/4), Israr (7/1), Old Harrovian (15/2), Lone Eagle (10/1), Max Vega (11/1), Enemy (16/1), Sunchart (40/1)

HAMISH won this last year with something to spare and is very much the class act, so he gets the nod ahead of Enemy who did well in Dubai earlier in the year. A case can be made for most of the others, but Old Harrovian is perhaps the most intriguing of them having won so emphatically at Wolverhampton last time.