2:35 – Chester – BOODLES DIAMOND ORMONDE STAKES (GROUP 3) (CLASS 1) (4yo+) Soft 1m5f89y
With Sea Moon a none runner this year’s renewal of the Ormonde Stakes looks to be a match between Brown Panther and Memphis Tennessee with preference being for the latter. After just four career runs the Aidan O’Brien trained 4 year old bay colt has shown that he should do very well this season after finishing 4th in The Derby and 3rd in the Irish Derby last summer.
He is being tried at a new distance today but he did stay well over 1 mile 4 furlongs in both The Derby and the Irish Derby and he should get the trip on the Dam’s side of his breeding. Memphis Tennessee has strong claims in this race if he handles the going which is getting softer all of the time.
He has never run in ground this soft before with all of his runs to date coming in Good to Firm and Good ground. However, there is a very good chance that he will act in the ground based on the form of his half brother. Royal Bench was foaled by Hit The Sky the year before she had Memphis Tennessee and he has not only won at Group 2 level in France, but he has also won in Soft, Very Soft and Heavy ground.
It is almost a toss of a coin between Memphis Tennessee and Brown Panther as to who will win this afternoon. Brown Panther has won in Good to Soft ground and he has also won at Chester. He has also run over 1 mile 5 furlongs and 1 mile 6 furlongs last season and finished 2nd in both races, so definitely gets the trip. On the face of it the sensible bet might well be to back Brown Panther. However, if the race were being run in Good ground Memphis Tennessee would probably be long odds on and a chance is taken that he has enough class in the ground to see off his worthy opponent today.
