Chester Friday

RYAN Moore claimed a sixth Huxley Stakes with a facile win in Friday’s Group 2 feature aboard Aidan O’Brien’s Armory, the Cox Plate runner-up clearly thriving, and having replaced Sangarius (Richard Kingscote) as favourite for the race overnight.

He slammed Sir Michael Stoute’s charge in the race itself, scoring by three lengths after being produced wide in the straight. He was a big outsider when third in the Irish Champion Stakes last season, but has proven himself worthy of the rating he gained for that effort with his excellent second to Sir Dragonet in the Cox Plate on his final four-year-old outing.

There are no firm plans for him according to his rider, but he will surely be back in Group 1 company after this, with the Coronation Cup or the Prince of Wales’s Stakes as obvious targets.

It could be said that the runner-up had to wait for a gap on the inside, but the harsh truth is that Sangarius (having his first run after wind surgery) simply took far too long to get to grips with the pace-setting Palavecino, and while he once looked like he might be a superstar, in line with his pedigree, this result is a fair indication of his absolute merit.

“HE’S an improving colt, but I’m in no hurry with him – I look forward to training him for a couple of years to come. There’s a big race in this horse, but it might be next year.”

Those were the words of Dermot Weld after Falcon Eight had won the Coral Marathon at Sandown in 2019, but what they don’t reveal is the smile that passed across the trainer’s face as he uttered that final sentence. The year of 2020 ended prematurely after just two starts for the son of Galileo, neither of which saw Falcon Eight in the best light, but there was a feeling that this win in the tote+ Chester Cup was the culmination of a long-term plan for the wily Master of Rosewell House.

Held up in the rear of midfield by Frankie Dettori, the 15/2 chance travelled strongly, and was asked to close up on the outer as the field prepared to turn for home into the short straight. It was clear that the six-year-old was travelling best, and Dettori took no chances with potential traffic problems, steering a wide course but hitting the front over a furlong out.

Staying on strongly, Falcon Eight beat The Grand Visir by two lengths, with half a length back to Hochfeld in third.

This was Dettori’s second win in the race having won it for the late John Baker on Star Player 30 years ago. The jockey joked afterwards that he hopes it won’t be another 30 years before he wins it again.

Big handicaps

“This gives me great pleasure, as these big handicaps are hard to win,” added Dettori. “Dermot booked me a while ago; he targeted this race, and we were worried about the ground, but he’s coped with it well.”

The feeling is that Weld’s supreme plotting doesn’t end with this race, and there are bigger prizes yet to be won with late-maturing gelding.