Chester May Festival 2024: Capulet wins the Dee Stakes
Capulet (7-2) gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a record-equalling 11th victory in the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes on day two of the Boodles Chester May Festival. And with success in the Listed contest on the Roodee the three-year-old may have booked his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom, for which he is a best-priced 14-1.
The three-year-old son of American Triple Crown hero Justify, who was beaten half-a-length by stable-mate Diego Velazquez in the Group Two KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown last September, took the extended 1m2f contest by three-quarter-of-a-length, under Ryan Moore, from Bracken's Laugh (11-2)
The Ballydoyle maestro will have a strong team as he bids for is a 10th victory in the premier Classic at Epsom on June 1. His 2,000 Guineas flop City Of Troy is now back into favouritism at around 9-2 having been pushed out to 8-1 following his Newmarket disappointment last weekend. But Henry Longfellow, Diego Velazquez, Ilinois – who runs in Saturday's Lingfield Derby Trial – and Los Angeles are others possible contenders for O'Brien at Epsom. And Capulet could join them having helped his trainer to draw level with Barry Hills with a record-equalling 11th victory in the Derby trial on the Roodee. He led from start to finish, under Moore, and won a shade cosily from the Richard Hughes-trained Bracken's Laugh, who had beaten the winner in a conditions race on the all-weather at Chelmsford last month.
Coolmore's Paul Smith, son of fellow co-owner Derrick Smith, said: "That was very pleasing and I thought Ryan gave him a lovely ride. He appreciated the step up in trip, no doubt, he's an uncomplicated horse, he travels well so I suppose it will be the French Derby or the English Derby. We know
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