Making all under Ryan Moore, the heavily-supported Dartmouth provided Sir Michael Stoute with a record sixth renewal of this historic prize and The Queen with a first to continue Ryan Moore's winning sequence on the “Roodeye”. Fresh from winning the G3 John Porter S. over an extended 13 furlongs on Chelmsford's Polytrack Apr. 16, the bay was always comfortable on the front end and despite the late challenge of Wicklow Brave in the straight kept finding to hold on in another tight finale. Given a typically quiet racing program by his astute handler until this season, Dartmouth's skills were honed in handicaps as a 3-year-old and he built towards better races by winning three of them over 10 furlongs at Sandown in May and over a mile and a half at Ascot in July and at Glorious Goodwood in August. Third on his first black-type test in Kempton's Listed Floodlit S. also over 12 furlongs in November, he is now two-for-two at group level at four and his sights will be raised again with Royal Ascot on the horizon. “As ever, Sir Michael trains these horses to bring them to their best,” The Queen's racing manager John Warren said. “He was a nice horse last spring and we dabbled with the idea of dipping our toe in to see if he was a Derby trial horse but he had a little setback and didn't quite look the true article then so we didn't rush him and he has progressed. He has turned inside out over the winter and is a much more robust horse physically now. His attitude is the thing that has impressed us all, as he really gets his head down and tries and he is quite versatile. The [G2] Hardwicke [S. at Royal Ascot June 18] is the logical next step–The Queen enjoys Ascot and he has a sporting chance there as he will put his best foot forward.”
Friday, Chester, Britain
BOODLES DIAMOND ORMONDE S.-G3, £75,000, CHE, 5-6, 4yo/up, 13f 89yT, 2:58.70, gd.
1–DARTMOUTH (GB), 129, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Galatee (Fr) (GSW-Ire, $149,253), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Altana, by Mountain Cat
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
O-The Queen; B-Darley (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £42,532. Lifetime Record: 11-6-0-1, $249,569. *1/2 to Manatee (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), MGSW-Fr, $295,034; and Gaterie (Dubai Destination), SW-Fr, $138,365. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wicklow Brave (GB), 126, g, 7, Beat Hollow (GB)–Moraine (GB), by Rainbow Quest. (€11,000 Ylg '10 TATSPT; €43,000 3yo '12 TIJUN). O-Wicklow Bloodstock (Ireland) Ltd; B-Millsec Ltd. (GB); T-Willie Mullins. £16,125.
3–Elidor (GB), 126, g, 6, Cape Cross (Ire)–Honorine (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (120,000gns Wlg '10 TATFOA). O-Jon & Julia Aisbitt; B-Ashley House Stud (GB); T-Mick Channon. £8,070.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.00, 4.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Cymro (Ire), Father Christmas (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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