Skip to content

Forest Ranger romps to Huxley Stakes victory

Forest Ranger, ridden by Tony Hamilton, wins the Homeserve Huxley Stakes at Chester
Image: Forest Ranger, ridden by Tony Hamilton, wins the Homeserve Huxley Stakes at Chester

Forest Ranger backed up his recent Newmarket victory in good style as Eminent flopped in the Homeserve Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Forest Ranger, who was gelded before making a successful seasonal debut last month, maintained his progress by landing the Group Two honours.

However, Eminent was a big disappointment. Marty Meade's classy colt trailed home last of the five starters runners after making the early running following a slight delay after Frankuus refused to go into the stalls and was withdrawn.

Tony Hamilton brought Forest Ranger (6-1) to put it up to Eminent, the 8-13 favourite, on the turn for home and the Richard Fahey-trained four-year-old kicked clear.

War Decree, from Aidan O'Brien's stable, made a late bid was never going to get there and was a length and a quarter down at the line.

Fahey said: "He definitely galloped right to the line, so we are delighted. He's a big unit - he was probably a bit weak last year.

Latest Racing Stories

"He's become a man and he's progressing. We'll skip Ascot. That (Coral-Eclipse at Sandown) is where we are going."

Fahey added: "That turned into a great race for us, I thoroughly enjoyed it. When I saw the favourite throwing out distress signals and Tony still hadn't moved I began to get excited.

"I purposefully didn't enter him for Ascot, I thought we'd give that a miss.

"As a Group Two winner now he'll be harder to place. There won't be many options for him.

"I'm getting more confident in the horse now. He does pick up at the end of his races, which is the sign of a half-decent horse."

Hamilton said: "I didn't think he'd really handle the track. I thought it would be a bit tight for a big horse like him, but he's loved it. We've gone a nice gallop and he just goes the one gallop the whole way. He's a massive horse who will only get better with age."

Eminent's jockey Oisin Murphy said: "I wasn't comfortable from four (furlongs) down. This is a very good horse. He gave me a very nice feel at home and he didn't perform, but they're not machines and sometimes they disappoint. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of it."

The veterinary officer at Chester said that Eminent was found to have a "fibrillating heart" when he was examined after the race.

Baraweez enjoyed a charmed run down the outside to run out a ready winner of the Crabbie's Earl Grosvenor Handicap at Chester.

Brian Ellison's eight-year-old may have had a plum draw in stall one but came from way off the pace to land the spoils.

Apprentice Phil Dennis chose to bide his time before weaving him through the field early in the straight to challenge in the centre of the course.

Baraweez (7-1) mowed the leaders in the closing stages to score by a length and a quarter from Gossiping, with Above The Rest three-quarters of a length away in third.

Owner Andrew Barnes said: "I was worried when he missed the break. When he got stall one we were overjoyed, but when you miss it you are probably better off being drawn high.

"Thankfully, when he did get out he did his job. Chester has been a lucky place for us and we love coming here.

"Galway will be the plan again, he runs twice there every year. He's won there and been placed a few times but it's so competitive."

Restorer won at the first attempt since joining Ian Williams' stable when making all the running in the Boodles Diamond Handicap.

A shrewd purchase by renowned Chester supporter Marwan Koukash for just 33,000 guineas in the autumn, Restorer soon grabbed the rail which enabled Richard Kingscote to dictate the pace.

He was shadowed all the way by fellow grey Dark Red, but Restorer (7-2 favourite) was always going best and kept up the gallop to score by a length and three-quarters.

Koukash said: "I picked him out at the sales. Ian mentioned running in the Ormonde but I thought he'd be better off dropping in trip.

"I thought he was too keen to win but when he kicked on the bend it was amazing. Richard gave him a great ride.

"I think his stamina won it at the end of the day but he was well handicapped on his best form."

Around Sky