‘Lonsdale’ on point for O’Brien in Chester double

Point Lonsdale secured his second career victory at Chester’s May Festival with a dominant display in the tote.co.uk Supporting Racing Ormonde Stakes.

Winner of the Huxley Stakes over a mile and a quarter 12 months ago, Aidan O’Brien’s charge went on to run with credit in a series of Group One races, including when third in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and fourth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Having struggled over a mile and a half in Qatar and Dubai earlier in the year, the five-year-old was stepped up to almost a mile and three-quarters for a Group Three contest and the increased stamina test appeared to do the trick.

The 13/8 favourite looked to be moving as fast he could for much of the race, with Melbourne Cup fourth Deauville Legend going a solid gallop in front in first-time blinkers. However, he was a spent force from the home turn and Point Lonsdale soon took over and asserted, pulling six-and-a-half lengths clear of a keeping-on Arrest at the line to complete a treble on the card for jockey Ryan Moore.

Alsakib was another to make late gains in third, with Deauville Legend weakening into fourth.

Earlier, Capulet strengthened O’Brien’s Derby hand with a front-running victory in the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes at Chester. Given a typically well-executed ride from the front by Moore, the 7/2 shot steadily raised the tempo and took a couple of lengths out of the chasing 7/4 favourite Jayarebe from the home turn.

The Richard Hughes-trained Bracken’s Laugh came from further back to throw down a major challenge, but Capulet was not for passing and was half a length in front at the line.