Chester report: Aidan O'Brien's reconnaissance trip to Chester with his number one Vodafone Derby hope Gypsy King ended in triumph yesterday as the colt fluffed every line and yet somehow still managed to turn in a starring performance to take the Dee Stakes.
But if the idea was to get an indication as to how Gypsy King would handle the twists and turns at Epsom, then it will require all O'Brien's training genius to get him home in front on June 4th.
Having just his second race and his first from starting stalls, the son of Sadler's Wells was slowly away, dropped back to last when colliding with the running rail in the early stages, and then came so wide to challenge off the last bend that he ended up on the stands side of the track.
Yet despite all the obstacles placed in his path, jockey Kieren Fallon still managed to bring the 2 to 1 favourite home with a powerful run which denied outsider Im Spartacus.
At no stage in the first mile did victory look on the cards, with Fallon forced to scrub his mount along almost from the start.
Jamie Spencer kicked on to take it up on Im Spartacus approaching the final furlong, but Gypsy King's late challenge got there by a short head.
Zalongo finished a further length and a quarter back in third.
Bookmaker reaction was initially lukewarm, but Totesport and William Hill were forced to take action within half an hour and trim Gypsy King's Derby odds to 5 to 1.
Paddy Power and Cashmans quoted just 9 to 2 and 3 to 1 respectively.
Never one to wear his heart on his sleeve, it was hard to gauge exactly what O'Brien made of the performance. Clearly it had not been quite what was wanted - or expected, judged by the reports of sparkling homework which saw Gypsy King holding such prominence in the ante-post Epsom betting, even before this important trial.
But despite the bare form of the victory being unremarkable, O'Brien and Fallon both declared themselves delighted with the result.
"I am surprised he won, to tell you the truth, as the horse had a big setback and then when we tried to get him back, the whole country got flooded," said O'Brien. "That was why we came here really, for some respectable ground, and so we could get some kind of a guide.
"To give the horse credit he was very brave, and we were delighted with him."
Put on the spot as to whether the Derby would be the next stopping point, O'Brien added: "When all the trials are over everyone will talk about Epsom, but you can certainly say he is definitely a possible. He certainly falls into that bracket now."
