Racing: Aidan O'Brien's Solider Of Fortune laid bare his Vodafone Derby claims with a gritty success in the Chester Vase on the Roodee.
O'Brien's raider was successful in Group company in France last month and the son of Galileo, who chased home Oaks favourite Passage Of Time as a juvenile, registered a double in the four-runner contest.
The 4-9 favourite was held up for much of the race but challenged Michael Stoute's Arabian Gulf flashing past the furlong pole. The pair scrapped it out right to the wire but Mick Kinane's mount came with a sustained effort during the closing stages.
However, it was only in the shadow of the post that he stuck his head in front for a short-head verdict.
Kinane said: "The 4lb penalty was an ask but it was a true-run race and the second horse has kept on going to his credit. That was a good a trial as has been ran so far, and it was set up nicely for me.
"I thought coming off the bend that he would go and win a couple of lengths and find more, but he did knuckle down well. This horse has done well and he's improving all the time. It was a decent performance and he's a horse who would run well in the Derby and he would handle Epsom."
Coolmore's Tim Corballis added: "That was a good trial. We'll have to talk to Aidan now and see where we go."
Maraahel made virtually all the running to land the Group Three Akkroball Huxley Stakes for the third consecutive year. Stoute's six-year-old faced just three rivals as he lined up to defend his crown — but was made to battle hard in his bid to justify 4-6 favouritism.
Richard Hills' mount was strongly pressed by Blue Bajan inside the distance but the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt kept finding more and collected by a head.
The same connections teamed up to take the Boodles Diamond Maiden Stakes with Sandown Classic Trial disappointment Al Tharib. A son of Silver Hawk, the 2-1 favourite was a tame fifth on that occasion but fared much better under Hills' confident front-running ride for an impressive three-length verdict.
Caribbean Coral landed a second course-and-distance victory in the Alexander Events Handicap. The 16-1 shot landed a similar five-furlong dash on the Roodee in September, and repeated the trick as Graham Gibbons unleashed him with a telling run to score by half a length from Corridor Creeper.
Mark Johnston and JP Guillambert teamed up for their second success of the three-day meeting as Annemasse (4-1) struck for home inside the final furlong to land the Halifax Handicap.
Mick Channon's Heywood (7-2 favourite) came widest of all under Tadhg O'Shea and strode out well down the centre of the course for a half-length victory in the Senior Wright Handicap.