Constitution River and Flushing Meadows will bid to continue Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes at Chester today.
The Ballydoyle handler has saddled a record 12 winners of the recognised Derby trial, although you have to go back to Sir Michael Stoute’s Kris Kin in 2003 to find the last horse to complete the Dee Stakes-Epsom double.
The last four winners have all been O’Brien-trained and Constitution River will be a hot favourite to add his name to the roll of honour on his first appearance since winning the Group Two Futurity Stakes at the Curragh in August.
O’Brien is also represented by Flushing Meadows, who steps up in trip after disappointing on his seasonal debut three and a half weeks ago.
The biggest threat to the Irish duo appears to be the William Haggas-trained Feilden Stakes winner Morshdi, Karl Burke runs both Golden Story and Shayem and Generic from Andrew Balding’s yard completes the line-up.
O’Brien also possesses a pair of aces in the Group Three Ladbrokes Ormonde Stakes, with last year’s victor Illinois joined by stablemate Jan Brueghel.
Illinois was a decisive winner over Burke’s reopposing Al Qareem 12 months ago before going on to finish second in the Gold Cup and the Goodwood Cup, but he has been deserted by Ryan Moore on his return to Chester, with the Ballydoyle number one preferring Jan Brueghel, who inflicted a notable defeat on Calandagan in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last summer.
St Leger runner-up Rahiebb makes his four-year-old debut for Roger Varian while Joseph O’Brien is represented by Sons And Lovers, winner of the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia earlier in the year.
Balding’s Mount Atlas and Ian Williams’ pair of outsiders Beylerbeyi and Real Dream are the other contenders.
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