Henry Cecil dismissed the hyping of two-year-old Chester House as "ridiculous" despite a first time out victory for the colt at Goodwood yesterday. He played down the significance of gallops as his latest Classic contender emulated stablemate Daggers Drawn to score at the Sussex track.
Chester House, a well-bred son of Mr Prospector, was already a prominent 20-1 chance for next year's 2000 Guineas with the major bookmakers even before he'd raced.
But he only scrambled home by half a length from another newcomer Just In Time to land the EBF Foxhall Maiden Stakes. He was being scrubbed along from very early on in the seven furlong race and when he finally hit the front he started to pull up on jockey Kieren Fallon.
Daggers Drawn, yesterday's Richmond Stakes winner, heads the Classic market at 7-1 with Chester House still available at 20-1.
"He's a big baby and to say he's my second best two-year-old is ridiculous," said Cecil. "I've only worked eight out of 100 and just because he wins a gallop doesn't mean anything.
"He will be very nice but people have been hyping him up too much. They are trying to make him run before he can walk. I like him very much, he has a lot of potential but people have been expecting too much too quick."
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