English/Ire
‘This is the pinnacle of my career’ – East India Dock downs Chester Cup rivals to give Owen and Davies memorable day
James Owen and Harry Davies enjoyed a memorable day when this year’s Triumph Hurdle third East India Dock made a winning return to the flat in the prestigious Chester Cup.
Harry Davies claimed back-to-back wins in the Chester Cup when steering East India Dock to victory in this year's renewal.
A winner on the likeable Hugo Palmer-trained Zoffee twelve months ago, Davies found himself on the well-backed 9/4 market leader East India Dock this time around, with James Owen's charge looking for big-race redemption back on the flat after being collared late in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Always towards the fore in a slowly run race under Davies, East India Dock began to hit top gear down the hill and ultimately powered on past George Scott's progressive stayer Caballo Del Mar to score by a length.
Last year's hero Zoffee, who was running off 2lb lower this time around, finished a credible third, with the front-running Irish raider Leinster back in fourth for Ryan Moore and Joseph O'Brien.
"I'm very lucky and he's won a shade cosy in the end, hasn't he?!," said Davies on ITV Racing.
"He loves his racing. I was a bit worried as he has the blindfold on and was the first horse in the gate, and I didn't want him to go to sleep and not jump. But he jumped great, and I was always happy to be following Callum Shepherd on Caballo De Mar.
"He came alive once we straightened up and I knew we were going to win. This is what it's all about, isn't it?"
Formerly trained by James Fanshawe, East India Dock has plied his trade over hurdles this season, winning all three of his starts before being defeated in the Triumph Hurdle.
Owen said: "Unbelievable. This is the pinnacle of our training career so far and it's lovely to get these horses.
"He jumped the last in front in Cheltenham and we thought, 'Here we go', and just got collared on the line. What a lovely horse to come and do it on an occasion like this.
"Harry gave him a very good ride, he was very good in the first furlong when he held his ground."
A trip to Royal Ascot now looks on the cards for the unexposed four-year-old, with Owen adding: "He stayed well, and we'll go to Royal Ascot with him."
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