Kew Gardens Faces Stern Test in Re-Entry

[Wandering Eyes]

Chester features more informative fayre on Thursday, when the reigning G1 St Leger title-holder Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo Ire}) reappears in the G3 Boodles Diamond Ormonde S. Racing under a seven-pound penalty, the bay, who also captured the G1 Grand Prix de Paris, faces last year’s impressive Chester Cup hero Magic Circle (Ire) (Makfi {GB}) who also took the G3 Henry II S. at Sandown and is own by this venue’s biggest fan Dr. Marwan Koukash. Whether he will be sharp enough on what is effectively a warm-up for the May 31 G1 Coronation Cup on ground easier than he prefers is the poser for fans of Kew Gardens and that weight he gives away could be telling with this being Magic Circle’s chief target. There is also King Power Racing’s Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) to consider from the in-form Andrew Balding stable whose first try at 12 furlongs resulted in a career-best when dead-heating with Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Newbury’s G3 St Simon S. on good-to-soft in October.

After the tour de force of Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) here on Wednesday, Ballydoyle’s Derby prospects in the Listed Homeserve Dee S. will be carefully scrutinised with Ryan Moore on Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Like Saturday’s G1 2000 Guineas hero Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), he represents Flaxman Stables and Coolmore but the son of the G1 Matron S. first-past-the-post Duntle (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) races in the Niarchos silks. Third behind Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Magna Grecia in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket and fourth in the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October, he holds a distinct class edge in this Derby trial won by Aidan O’Brien on five occasions.

King Power Racing’s Fox Chairman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) is totally unexposed after winning by four lengths over a mile on debut at Newbury Apr. 13 and trainer Andrew Balding is on a fact-finding mission.

“He won his maiden very well and is a horse we think quite a lot of,” he said. “It’s obviously a big ask to be going to a track like Chester on just his second run, but we like him and we’ll see where we are. He lacks the experience of some of the horses he’s up against, but I hope he’ll run well.”

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