English/Ire
“He’s a very good horse” – Illinois makes winning return in Ormonde Stakes
Illinois continued Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the feature races at the Chester May meeting when making a winning return to action in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes.
A talented Royal Ascot-winning three-year-old who had finished runner-up in both the Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger Stakes before winning the Prix Chaudenay at Longchamp in October, Illinois successfully defied the penalty he picked up for that latest success when seeing off Al Qareem by a length and three quarters. The Willie Mullins-trained Absurde, who was reverting to the flat after his victory in the Sussex Champion Hurdle, finished a further half-length back in third.
Unlike on Mount Kilimanjaro, Ryan Moore found himself this time enjoying the dream run around the inside after Sam James' mount edged off the rail turning for home. From there on in, the result never really looked in doubt, and although Al Qareem rallied well to keep Moore's charge honest in the closing stages, he never looked like getting back on terms.
"He's a very good horse," said Moore on ITV Racing. "He did nothing wrong last year, he was second in the Grand Prix de Paris, second in the Leger, won at Royal Ascot and won on Arc weekend.
"He's a very consistent horse and he's very powerful."
Illinois was cut to 8-1 (from 14s) for next month's Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, with the same firm making him a 25/1 chance (from 40s) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Paul Smith, son of co-owner Derrick, added: "That was very pleasing, he's a lovely horse and very versatile.
"I was just talking to Aidan there and you could drop him back in trip for the Coronation Cup or you could step him up for Cup races – he'd do whatever you want for you.
"He's a big, strong animal so he will improve for the run. Ryan was very happy, he was waiting at the bend for something to take him there and they didn't, so he had to go, and he was just playing around in front at the end.
"He won two Group 2s last year and carried the penalty today, so he's a proper horse."
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