San Antonio stepping up for Dee Stakes assignment

Improving O’Brien runner holds Derby engagement.

Aidan O’Brien has won seven of the last 10 runnings of the Boodles Dee Stakes and attempts to enhance his domination of the Chester contest with San Antonio on Thursday.

The master of Ballydoyle has landed this Listed event with a plethora of Classic contenders in the past and this time around it is the turn of his improving son of Dubawi to put himself in the big-race picture and provide O’Brien with his 10th victory in the contest overall – one short of Barry Hills.

Having shown glimpses of potential at two, he thrived for the step up to 10 furlongs when scoring readily at Dundalk in March and the Betfred Derby entrant will now take the next step up the ladder on what is certain to be testing ground.

“He’s in good form and won his maiden nicely in Dundalk,” said O’Brien.

“I don’t know if he’s run in that ground before, so we’re not sure about that, but he’s in good form.”

Despite O’Brien’s impeccable record, it may prove his son Donnacha has the best chance of upholding the family name when he saddles the highly-regarded Cork scorer Alder.

The Australia colt was third to Auguste Rodin in a Leopardstown Group Two last season and also holding an entry for the Derby this race could prove the biggest test of his Epsom credentials.

“He’s a very nice horse and we’ve always thought a lot of him. He was always going to make a better three-year-old than two-year-old,” said the younger O’Brien.

“It’s nice timing – it’s three weeks from his last run and then about three weeks to the Derby, so it has worked out well. Obviously we will learn a bit more about him as well. Chester is a lot different to Epsom, but it is another tight left-handed track so you will get some kind of idea.”

One of the most intriguing runners in the line-up is Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger who cut an impressive figure when landing the Wood Ditton on debut.

Stoute last won this race with Tajaaweed in 2008, while famously saddling Kris Kin to victory in 2003 before supplementing him for what would be Epsom glory.

Passenger File Photo
Passenger could be withdrawn from the Dee Stakes on account of bad ground (Tim Goode/PA)

However, the participation of this year’s contender is subject to a racecourse inspection from the Freemason Lodge handler on the morning of the race.

“Sir Michael is going to review the ground in the morning and should it be deemed too soft, Passenger may not run,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for owners the Niarchos family.

“He’s a horse that needs good ground, so we will be reviewing the situation and seeing how the ground is. It wouldn’t make sense for his second start to run the horse on an unsuitable surface.”

Local Dynasty hit the target in three of his four starts at two and finished his campaign by winning Pontefract’s Silver Tankard Stakes with 1000 Guineas fourth Caernarfon back in third.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has never won this race, but told www.godolphin.com: “Local Dynasty has done well over the winter and we know that he will handle the ground following his wins at Sandown and Pontefract.

“Stepping up in trip looks as though it should suit and this seems a decent starting point for his campaign.”

Andrew Balding’s Stormbuster was well held at Epsom on his return and although having some smart juvenile form, now has a point to prove, while Lose Your Wad (Charlie Hills) and Afterwards (Ollie Pears) both scored over a mile on the all-weather last time and are upped in both trip and class as they complete the line-up.

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