Stretarez surprises

Venetia Williams transferred her impressive jumps strike rate record to the Flat when pulling off a 25 to 1 Ormonde Stakes shock yesterday with her first runner on the level. She was forced to revise a programme aimed at eventual Cheltenham honours when French import Stretarez claimed a neck victory in the Group Three event at Chester.

Miss Williams took out a Flat licence specifically to train Stretarez, who beat Grey Shot in a Group Two race last season, before he embarked on a hurdling campaign next year.

But the Ascot Gold Cup is now a serious target after the five-year-old, under Kevin Darley, handed out a surprise defeat to Palio Sky with Memorise third.

Miss Williams hoped Stretarez would not disgrace himself but was unprepared for a big-race triumph that tops anything she has so far achieved under National Hunt rules.

"I was just so relieved he was still in touch with them. But I thought the ground would be too firm and he had not been showing the work we had expected from him lately," she said.

"He was bought to win a Champion Hurdle or Stayers' Hurdle but I thought I would give him one or two runs on the Flat. I can't believe it."

Hungover Alan Bailey's sore head worsened after a shock ruling by the stewards. Still on a high after his Chester Cup coup with Silence in Court the trainer was celebrating again after Cantina passed the post in first place in the William Hare Wynn Handicap.

But Bailey's joy quickly turned to disappointment when the stewards disqualified Cantina for crossing towards the inside rail and hampering several horses after just a furlong.