MBNA Chester Vase |
|
| Group 3, Chester 15:10 £75,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f 63y, Class 1  |
|
| Thursday 5th May 2016 | |
1 US Army Ranger 4/11F
2 Port Douglas 11/2
3 Ormito 20/1
6 ran Distances: shd, 7l, 2l
TIME 2m 41.07s (slow by 6.77s)
1-2 for Galileo as Epsom Derby favourite US Army Ranger wins the G3 Chester Vase from Port Douglas
 |
US Army Ranger won for Aidan O'Brien but was nearly caught by stablemate Port Douglas.
Favourite for the Investec Derby with some bookmakers before the race, whether he advertised his Classic credentials is up for debate.
Port Douglas attempted to make all under Seamie Heffernan and when US Army Ranger and Ryan Moore swept past the race looked over, but the former rallied to be beaten just a short head by the 4/11 favourite.
Moore said: "He's still very babyish, he travelled really nicely and I just wanted to teach him.
"When he got to the front he had a bit of a look, as the other horse came back he was just going to do enough.
"He's a baby, it's only his second run and he made his debut five weeks ago - he'll learn plenty.
"I was probably a bit too kind to him when he first went there and he's probably switched off on me.
"He didn't know how to fight and he'll learn a lot from that. Aidan's other horse isn't a bad horse, he's a Group Two winner carrying a penalty - they are both decent horses."
SkyBet's reaction was to push US Army Ranger to 5/1 from 7/2, with Sir Michael Stoute's York-bound Midterm clipped from 4/1 to 7/2.
Port Douglas was slashed from 40/1 to 25/1 and the firm's Michael Shinners said: "He was far from impressive despite winning and we have pushed him out from 7/2 to 5/1 for the Investec Derby.
"The Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial on Sunday could well offer more clues to the Ballydoyle contingent but if Midterm can stamp his authority on next week's Dante at York he looks sure to be favourite going into the Classic at Epsom."
MBNA Chester Vase (Group 3)
£75,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f 63y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (3) | US Army Ranger (IRE) 4/11f | R L Moore 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 3 | |
| 2nd | (1) | s.h | Port Douglas (IRE) 11/2 | J A Heffernan 9-4 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 3rd | (6) | 7 | Ormito (GER) 20/1 | David Probert 9-0 |
A M Balding | 3 |
| 4th | (5) | 2 | Biodynamic (IRE) 12/1 | D C Costello 9-0 |
K R Burke | 3 |
| 5th | (4) | 10 | High Grounds (IRE) 14/1 | D Holland 9-0 |
C Hills | 3 |
| 6th | (2) | 2¼ | Dwight D 33/1 | J P Spencer 9-0 |
W J Haggas | 3 |
