tote Ormonde Stakes
Group 3, Chester 15:15
£111,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
1m 5f 84y, Class 1   
Thursday 11th May 2023

Free Racing Tips

1 Hamish 7/4
2 Lone Eagle 10/1
3 Changingoftheguard 11/10F
6 ran NR: Israr, Old Harrovian Distances: 1¼l, 2½l, 1¼l
Time: 3m 6.02s (slow by 14.82s

The William Haggas-trained Hamish was an eye-catching winner, backing up last year's win and defying a weight penalty, in the hands of Tom Marquand.

With market favouritism held by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Changingoftheguard, the 2023 Ormonde hero Hamish cruised through the mile and three-quarter Group 3 and was still travelling within himself as the field started their turn for home.

With front-running Changingoftheguard coming under the pump, it was left to Ralph Beckett's new recruit Lone Eagle to put up the most resistance and while he stuck on well to be beaten just a length and a quarter at the line, the seven-year-old Hamish was fully in charge having moved to the front with a furlong to travel.

Changingoftheguard could manage only third, a further two and a half lengths behind Lone Eagle.

Marquand said on Sky Sports Racing: "He's a proper yard favourite and a really special horse. He feels absolutely great and possibly even better than ever. They've done a great job with him at home.

"It's horses like this that really showcases how much work goes in at home. Hopefully the ground stays this way for him. I probably ended up one further back than I ideally envisaged but he has a turn of foot on this sort of ground and when I got a split I thought it was probably game over."

FormRatings

tote Ormonde Stakes (Group 3)
£120,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 5f 84y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Soft, Heavy in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (7)    Hamish 7 9-5 William Haggas Tom Marquand 7/4
2 (5)
Lone Eagle 5 9-2 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 10/1
3 (4)
Changingoftheguard 4 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 11/10F
8 (6) Sunchart 6 9-2 Andrew Slattery Andrew Slattery 40/1
4 (2)
¾ Enemy 6 9-2 Ian Williams Richard Kingscote 16/1
2 (8)
nk Max Vega 6 9-5 Ralph Beckett Rob Hornby 11/1
7 (3) 7-11 Old Harrovian 4 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy
NR 5 (1) Israr 4 9-2 John & Thady Gosden NON RUNNER
NR 7 (3) Old Harrovian 4 9-2 Andrew Balding NON RUNNER

Odds catcher