Overturn makes all to win Chester Cup

Racing:  Overturn managed to avoid seeing a rival for more than two circuits of the totesport.com Chester Cup as another major north-western prize headed to Donald McCain's nearby stable.

It will not mean quite as much as Ballabriggs' Grand National success a month ago to a trainer with National Hunt racing in his blood - but it was a further reminder of his capabilities.

Overturn (11-2) was sensational last summer, winning the Northumberland Plate and Galway Hurdle on consecutive starts, and a busy winter campaign saw him place in both the Christmas and Scottish Champion Hurdles.

The seven-year-old's intelligent way of racing endears him to jockey Eddie Ahern, with the pair settling in a clear lead from the start and saving enough around the Roodee's final turn to keep them a length and three-quarters in front of their persistent pursuer Tastahil.

"I didn't think I'd get as easy lead as I did, but I got him away quickly and we soon had a three or four-length lead," explained Ahern. "From there on in, he did it all himself and he is able to keep giving himself breathers. No-one came to me in the end."

McCain admitted: "I can't say I particularly know what I'm doing when it comes to this, but we knew he was in good nick and he had a great draw.

"He's just a fantastic little horse and we said beforehand that even if he never won again, he's done enough. As I said before Aintree, every time you think it can't get any better, something else happens. We'll play it by ear now. We'll look at the Northumberland Plate again and also Galway, although he'd have an awful lot of weight there."

Wonder Of Wonders' part-owner Michael Tabor gave his filly approval for Epsom after she showed great potential in the Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks.

An occasional dress rehearsal for the Oaks itself, as advertised by Light Shift in 2007, Wonder Of Wonders (6-5 favourite) would be worthy of a place on the Downs as her large frame would not have made her the ideal candidate around this tight circuit.

It was Aidan O'Brien's third win in the last four years and the close relation of Galileo and Sea The Stars showed a willing attitude for Ryan Moore in the home straight to zip past the runaway leader Blaise Chorus.

"Why wouldn't you go for the Oaks now? That will be the next run for her unless Aidan has other ideas, and I doubt that," said Tabor. "She had only won a Tipperary maiden but she's beautifully bred and Chester is a good learning curve."

She is biggest with totesport, Blue Square and Paddy Power at 10s for the Investec Oaks.

Moore added: "She's a big, scopey filly and she travelled very well. Michael Hills had it easy on the front, but I gave her a breather down the back and when I asked her to go she lengthened really well.

"She felt like a nice filly and she stays well."