Mixed bag of luck for the O'Briens

RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:IT WAS a mixed bag of luck for Aidan O'Brien at Chester yesterday when his Investec Oaks hope Betterbetterbetter got turned over by 50 to 1 shot Good Morning Star in the Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks.

Trained by Mark Johnston and ridden by Franny Norton, her owner, Dr Marwan Koukash,admitted the filly had been viewed as a “social” runner.

“She was my only social runner of the meeting. I rang Mark up and suggested we ran her as I had nothing else that would stay a mile and a half,” said Koukash.

“I had been looking for a claimer for her but we’ll probably take her to Royal Ascot now over a mile and a half (Ribblesdale Stakes) and see what happens.”

O’Brien intimated the runner-up could still head for the Epsom Oaks despite her defeat. However, there was a sting in the tail for her young rider Joseph O’Brien, who was given a four-day ban (May 23rd-26th inclusive) for using his whip above the permitted level. Norton was also banned for two days (May 23rd-24th) for the same offence.

O’Brien’s ban includes the Abu Dhabi Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh, but he can apply to the British Horseracing Authority to defer the ban as Group One racing will be taking place.

O’Brien did get on the scoreboard with his father’s beautifully-bred Father Of Science in the GL Events Owen Brown Maiden Stakes. “He was very green the first time and he still looked that way, but he kept going and handled the ground,” said the trainer.

“He’s a half-brother to High Chaparral by Galileo. He has a lovely mind and he could step up into one of the trials yet. I think he handled that ground but it’s not ideal for him, he’d prefer it better. I hope he keeps progressing.”

Norton had earlier won the Manor House Stables Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes on Jo Hughes’ All Fur Coat (9 to 2) for a 279 to 1 double. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney made an inauspicious start as a racehorse owner in the same event when Pippy (named after his wife Coleen), his first runner, finished last.

After his best ever National Hunt season, Donald McCain turned his attentions to the Flat and saddled the first two home in the StanJames.comChester Cup through Ile De Re and Overturn.

The latter was attempting to add his name to the illustrious list of dual winners and following a fine run in the Champion Hurdle when second to Rock On Ruby, he was back on the Roodee with 7lb more than last year. Heavy rain just before the race was not in Overturn’s favour and a flag start due to difficulties in moving the stalls in saturated ground made it a bit more of a lottery. Nevertheless, Eddie Ahern bounced out Overturn and adopted his customary front-running role and everything else was in trouble two furlongs out apart from his new stablemate.

Ile De Re (10 to 1) was with Ian Williams until just a few weeks ago and was last seen in the Imperial Cup, but Jim Crowley always looked confident in winning by a length and three-quarters. The Mark Johnston-trained duo of Gulf Of Naples and Eternal Heart took minor honours.

“Ian Williams deserves a lot of the credit as he did a lot of the work and we’ve only had him a few weeks,” said McCain. “I thought Overturn would win two furlongs out but the weight on that ground has taken its toll. Overturn is in the Ascot Gold Cup as well as the Queen Alexandra and that race would suit him.”