Point Lonsdale proves far too strong in Ormonde Stakes

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 his trainer had already won on five occasions 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 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.

Coolmore’s Paul Smith said of the winner: “We’re delighted with him, as he’s such a versatile horse. You could step him up for a Gold Cup or run him in something like the Coronation at Epsom or go to Ascot with him, you can do anything.

“He’s a pleasure to have anything to do with. He relished that step up in trip today so he could run in something like the Gold Cup, he’s enthusiastic and just does what you tell him to do. I think he enjoyed that today, it’s lovely good ground. We’ll make a plan in a couple of weeks.”

John Gosden felt conditions had proved the undoing of St Leger runner-up Arrest, who impressed here last year in the taking Vase in very different weather.

“He ran great, but the ground has dried up too much for him,” said Gosden.

“He just wasn’t in love with the ground, unfortunately.”

O’Brien was not at Chester, but speaking from his Ballydoyle yard he said of the winner: “He’s such a lovely horse, so honest and genuine.

“You can run him over all sorts of trips, he’s comfortable at 10 furlongs, today was the furthest he’s gone but he could even get further.

“What today has done is open up all sorts of options. He could drop back to 10 for a Tattersalls Gold Cup, go to the Coronation at Epsom over a mile and a half, the Hardwicke at Ascot or even the Gold Cup, all those sorts of races.

“Horses like him are great to have around, he’s tough, genuine and versatile.”