Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien notch up big-race double at Chester with Idaho and Rostropovich
Moore was at his best on the Roodee as he booted home Derby hope Rostropovich and the talented Idaho
RYAN MOORE threw a Derby Strop at Chester.
It’s fair to say the former champ wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice to play the Cheshire Cat but he had plenty to smile about yesterday.
First he booted home Rostropovich – the 5-2 market leader – to win the Homeserve Dee Stakes by nearly four lengths to strengthen Aidan O’Brien’s Classic hand.
Then he completed a big-race double on hot 8-11 favourite Idaho in the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes.
It was another day of O’Brien domination – backed by the mega-rich Coolmore consortium - and that looks set to continue at Epsom.
Rostropovich was cut to 16-1 for the Derby with stablemate Saxon Warrior, winner of last weekend’s 2000 Guineas, now odds-on at 10-11.
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Paddy Power make O’Brien an unbackable 1-5 shot to claim his seventh Derby victory.
O’Brien said: “The lads will decide if Rostropovich is one for Epsom or the French Derby.
“All the options are open to him. It never does any harm to have plenty of back-up in the big races as last year proved – I’m not scared of running more than one, as you know.
“All these horses are bred and born to run in Classics so if we think they are up to it that’s what they'll do.”
Idaho was third in the Derby a couple of years ago and he could be up for the Cups after winning the Ormonde Stakes.
O’Brien added: “The plan was to come here and then look at races like the Coronation Cup and King George.
“Ryan said he’d stay further, though, so that opens up even more options. He said he’d have no problem going further so I suppose he could develop into a Cup horse.
“He’s travelled the world and is very professional now. You like to see them run through the line strong like he did there.”
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Idaho nipped up the inside in the straight and stormed clear for a three-and-a-half length defeat of Danehill Kodiac.
Moore said: “He’s run in all the best races all over the place – America, Canada, Japan, Dubai.
“He was back down in class and it suited him well. He deserved to get that win.”