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14:25 Chester

Homeserve Huxley Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1)

  • 5 Runners
  • Distance: 1m 2f 70y
  • Going: Good
  • Surface: Turf
  • £126,000 added
  • Winner: £70,888
  • 2nd: £26,875
  • 3rd: £13,450
  • 4th: £6,700
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 2m 8.39s
  • Off Time: 14:29:35
  • 5 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Forest Ranger (IRE)

6/1

    2
    Silk -

    War Decree (USA)

    4/1

      1(4)
      Silk - Purple, red star and sleeves, red cap, purple star

      Convey

      76 D
      14/1
      • Form 35/116-4
      • Age 6
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 111

      held up in 4th place, ridden in 3rd and one pace over 1f out, weakened into 4th final 110 yards

      2(1)
      Silk - Royal Blue, White hoops, Grey sleeves, Royal Blue and White quartered cap

      Eminent (IRE)

      244 D
      8/13
      • Form 164513-
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 116

      raced freely, led, pushed along and joined 2f out, soon headed and weakened quickly

      3(5)
      Silk - Emerald Green, White cross belts, Orange sleeves, Royal Blue cap

      Forest Ranger (IRE)

      23
      6/1
      • Form 52328-1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 113

      tracked leader, challenged 2f out, soon led, ridden clear inside final furlong, ran on well

      5(2)
      Silk - Grey, beige star, grey sleeves, beige stars and stars on cap

      Gabrial (IRE)

      20 C
      25/1
      • Form 238474
      • Age 9
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 103

      slowly into stride, held up last, closer 3f out, pushed along and hung left over 2f out, switched right and kept on inside final furlong, went 3rd final 110 yards

      6(3)
      Silk - NEON PINK and GREEN diabolo, striped sleeves, PINK cap, GREEN visor

      War Decree (USA)

      41
      4/1
      • Form 65190-9
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 112

      reluctant loading, tracked leading pair, switched right and went 2nd over 1f out, ridden and stayed on same pace inside final furlong, no chance with winner

      4(6)
      NR

      Frankuus (IRE)

      23 b D
      25/1
      • Form 42156-7
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 109

      Withdrawn

      Previous results

      2017
      (4)
      Silk -

      Deauville (IRE)

      6/4
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0

      2016
      (5)
      Silk -

      Cannock Chase (USA)

      11/4
      • Age 5
      • Weight 9-7

      2015
      (4)
      Silk -

      Maverick Wave (USA)

      4/1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0

      In depth

      Verdict

      Forest Ranger bravely held off last year’s winner Deauville in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket but takes a further step up the ladder here, though readily holds the front-running Frankuus on the form book. Convey will strip fitter for a fourth at Lingfield but Gabrial doesn’t look up this level. War Decree made his reappearance in the Dubai Turf, however, and competed against the best last year. He won a Group 3 at Dundalk in October but was no match for EMINENT in the Craven Stakes a year ago. Martyn Meade’s stable star went on to perform with credit in the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Coral-Eclipse before winning in this grade at Deauville. He was third in the Irish Champion Stakes on his final start last season and should have too much class for these.

      Formwatch

      Convey 11-2 (9-0) Took keen hold, tracked leader 3f, handy 3rd, hung right on bend 2f out, 2nd again over 1f out, led inside final furlong, headed inside final 150 yards, lost 2 places near finish, 4th of 10, at Lingfield 1m 2f Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Feb.

      Eminent (IRE) 3-1 (9-1) Broke well to lead, 4 lengths clear after 3f, reduced advantage 3f out, under pressure and ridden over 1f out, headed final 100 yards, kept on same pace, 3rd of 10, 2 1/4l behind Decorated Knight (9-7) at Leopardstown 1m 2f Grp 1 stks (1) gd in Sep.

      Forest Ranger (IRE) 8-1 (8-13) Tracked leader, led over 2f out, headed narrowly over 1f out, ridden and led again towards finish, won at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Apr beating Deauville (8-13) by 1/2l, 8 ran.

      Gabrial (IRE) 25-1 (9-9) Held up in mid-division, headway going well 2f out, tracking leaders going well and every chance when pushed left entering final furlong, no extra towards finish, 4th of 22, 1 3/4l behind Taqdeer (9-1) at Newbury 1m hcp (2) gs in Apr.

      War Decree (USA) 40-1 (9-0) 9th of 15, 12l behind Benbatl (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 gd in Mar.

      Frankuus (IRE) 7-1 (8-13) Soon led, ridden and headed over 2f out, soon weakened, 7th of 8, 17 1/2l behind Forest Ranger (8-13) at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Apr.