Group Three Ormonde Stakes Guide

Aidan O’Brien is a four time winner of this race, most recently in 2018 with Idaho, and is represented by sole runner Japan at the head of affairs who runs on the back of a six month layoff.

Japan was tipped for a huge four-year-old season in 2020, however things didn’t quite pan out as expected with a fourth placed finish in the Prince of Wales stakes (Group 1, 10f) on his reappearance despite going off as 6/4 favourite.

He then followed up with a third placed effort behind Ghaiyyath and Enable in the Coral Eclipse (Group One, 10f) before subsequently being soundly beaten in his three following runs, all in Group One affairs.

He re-appears here, taking a drop in class to a Group Three contest and is upped in trip to the 13f distance which looks sure to suit given the demand for stamina over pace.

Aidan O’Brien has already stated that preparations for his five-year-old season have been much better than last years and the horse looks to have grown into himself over the winter.

He’s a classy type and that puts him above the rest here, although, as expected, he will still have some doubters to prove wrong as he looks to get back on track.

Ryan Moore is employed on board who has won this race four times, twice of those wins coming under Aidan O’Brien.

Trueshan represents Alan King and unsurprisingly warrants plenty of appeal after his Group Two success in the Long Distance Cup (16f) at Ascot on his final run of last season.

He is clearly a talented stayer and holds great claims for the Royal Ascot Gold Cup by which his yard will have their eyes very much fixed upon.

However, he does have to concede 5lbs in weight to his rivals here and takes a drop back in distance to the 13f trip, which may just find him out as being too sharp, especially with the weight disadvantage.

Stamina is clearly in this horses arsenal however the shorter trip will ask questions of his natural pace and he will need to show plenty here against his speedy rivals.

Furthermore, he runs here on the back of a 6 month layoff and last seasons re-appearance was clearly something that was needed in order to inject some race sharpness back into his running.

Trainer Balding has won the Ormonde Stakes twice as a trainer and is looking to win the race back to back here with 2019 winner Morando.

Now eight years old, Morando is a winner of eight of his 25 starts, however his most recent win came at Ascot (Group Three, 12f) back in 2019.

He clearly thrives here at Chester with form figures of 112 at the track, with his most recent run here last season being a 1 length runner-up finish to Alignak in a listed race (12f).

Balding has described Morando as still very much enthusiastic and one who has plenty of good runs left in him as he returns from a six month break.

Although, he would probably prefer the ground to be even softer than what is on offer currently.

Withhold is Roger Charlton’s sole entrant in the race and his runner is returning from a seven month layoff to kick start his eight-year-old season.

Last season, Withhold showed real flashes of ability with a Listed win at Newmarket (14f) and a one length runner up finish behind re-opposing rival Trueshan at Salisbury (14f).

Chester is known to suit front runners and with most of Withhold’s wins coming from the front at left handed tracks, the venue looks to play nicely into the Charlton runners abilities, who will be having his first run here at the course.

He seems to be fairly versatile ground wise, however his fitness will need to be of a high standard to get a result here on the back of a seven month layoff, something that he has to prove.

Irish raider Sonnyboyliston represents trainer Johnny Murtagh who won the Ormonde Stakes as a jockey in 2008 upon MacArthur for Aidan O’Brien.

At just four-years-old, Sonnyboyliston is the youngest of the contests runners and remains relatively unexposed, particularly over distances upwards of 10f due to the fact that this will be his first run over an extended trip.

He ran well in handicaps last season with three wins from four over 8-10f trips before being thrown into a Group Three contest on his final start of his three-year-old season by which he finished a well beaten fourth.

The gelding returned from a five month layoff to finish third in a Listed race at Naas (10f), notably keeping on well to the line but not having the pace to match the front two, clearly signifying an increase in trip is what this horse wants.

He should have a fitness advantage over rivals given his recent run and usual jock Ben Coen crosses the Irish Sea to partner the horse to offer an interesting proposition here despite needing to prove themselves at the distance.

Euchen Glen was a back to back Group Three winner last year for trainer Jim Goldie and jockey Paul Mulrennan, winning the Cumberland Lodge (12f) and Pravha Stakes (12f) in testing conditions.

He was however subsequently well beaten in a big field at Doncaster on his final run of last season and returned this season with an eighth placed finish in a Group Three at Newbury 18 days ago.

He should strip much fitter for that run and will benefit from the softer conditions that are expected to be on offer, however he does carry a 3lb penalty here which may ultimately hold him.

He’s been a grand servant for connections and it would be great to see another big run in him however he has it all to prove after his dip in form the last twice.

Trainer Keith Dalgleish and jockey Callum Rodriguez have been in good form of late and the pair are represented in the race by Sextant.

Sextant has shown real promise over hurdles the last twice, winning and placing in novice hurdles races at Carlisle and Musselburgh.

On his final race on the flat he finished a one length third in the Listed Unibet Wild Flower stakes, just being headed a furlong out.

He has it all to prove five months on from that run back on the flat and this looks a lot tougher than what he has contested in the flat sphere of late.

Kipps is a consistent sort for trainer Hughie Morrison and has been equipped with the talented William Buick for the ride.

He was consistent in handicaps last season with placed form over 12f - 14f trips before finishing a 7 1/2 length fourth in his first group race on his final run of 2020 behind Euchen Glen in the Pravha Stakes.

The gelding reversed the form on Euchen Glen on his comeback run in the John Porter Stakes (Group Three, 12f) although still only managed a 6th placed finish on faster ground.

Kipps will strip fitter for the comeback run and should continue progressing during his four-year-old season.

He will also appreciate testing conditions, although may want it heavier than what’s on offer and looks to have it all to do at the weights.