Group Three Ormonde Stakes Chester Guide 2023

William Haggas has one in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester on Thursday, sending seven-year-old Hamish to the race. The gelding was in great form towards the end of 2022, winning at Ascot on his penultimate run of the season in a group three as well as finishing second in another group three at Newbury to finish off the year.

Landed this contest by just under a length to Thunderous and was also a narrow second to Kyprios in the Group One Irish St. Leger at Curragh in September. That form has him as the leading player in this field and he will be the one to beat. Tom Marquand does the steering.

Ralph Beckett sends two this Chester race with Lone Eagle and Max Vega. The latter of those is a six-year-old who returned from an inconsistent 2022 to finish third in Group Three Surprise Stakes at Newbury last month. During last season, the gelding claimed victories at Newbury on two separate occasions, winning the Surprise Stakes in April as well as winning the St Simon Stakes at 22/1 with favourite here Hamish in second.

He’s a good runner on his day and should improve from that Newbury run last month so unable to dismiss here.

Ian Williams boasts one in the Ormonde Stakes with Enemy, his six-year-old gelding who arrives here on an indifferent run of form during 2022/23. He won once last term in a Musselburgh class two handicap over 1m 5f but failed to replicate that form in three runs in grouped company, finishing third, fifth and eighth before ending his season by finishing 14th in York handicap.

Has had a couple of runs at Meydan this year, winning one of those at 18/1 but was eighth in Group Two Dubai Gold Cup. Shouldn’t be taken lightly as he has the ability to go well but others are probably in better form. Richard Kingscote is on board.

Andrew Slattery sends his six-year-old Sunchart to the Ormonde Stakes at Chester on Thursday, with the gelding chasing his first win since 2019. There were some decent efforts during last season, finishing second to Kyprios on one occasion at Leopardstown as well as second in a listed event at Naas in November but this is tough.

Didn’t figure in listed outing at Navan last month and would be the one runner here that can be dismissed as he looks unlikely to claim his first win for over three years.

Ralph Beckett sends two to this contest with Max Vega and Lone Eagle. Lone Eagle makes his second start for Beckett after being with Martyn Meade up until his fifth-place finish in the Surprise Stakes at Newbury last month, where he made his debut for his new yard. Stablemate Max Vega finished ahead of him in third.

The five-year-old last tasted success back in 2021 at Goodwood when winning listed event over 1m 3f but has been unable to replicate that form since and it seems unlikely here, as he has not really troubled the leaders for a while.

Aiden O’Brien sends one to this contest in the form of his four-year-old Changingoftheguard. The colt won three of his four runs in 2022, including the Group Three Chester Vase here last May and the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes over 1m 3f at Royal Ascot to round off his season, beating Grand Alliance by a short head.

Finished fifth in the Epsom Derby last June behind some top runners and must be respected back in this sort of company. Hamish looks a good favourite but no reason why Changingoftheguard can’t run him close.

Andrew Balding has one in the Ormonde Stakes with his lightly raced gelding, Old Harrovian (sire Sea The Stars). He’s had just three runs so far, in lesser company than this but after finishing seventh on debut at Newmarket, he dropped down to class five level to score twice in a row at Lingfield and Wolverhampton last month.

The first of those victories came by four lengths and by ten lengths at Wolverhampton, a class above both fields and further progress is expected from him. This will be harder but could make his presence felt in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

John and Thady Gosden boast one in this Chester contest on Thursday, sending their four-year-old Israr. The colt had a pretty good season last term, winning Doncaster and Newbury in class two handicaps in good fashion as well as finishing third on three separate occasions at Ascot and Newmarket.

He ended the 2022 season by finishing 12th in a class two handicap at Doncaster which was disappointing considering the finishes he had put up earlier in the year but can bounce back with a better run here. Jim Crowley is on board the 106-rated colt.