Papal Bull has authority

RACING: Papal Bull has some pretty strong form in the book and he can continue on an upward curve in today's Group Three Chester Vase on the Roodee.

Trained by Michael Stoute, the son of Montjeu cost 100,000 guineas as a yearling, but looked in need of the run in his debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket last September.

Sent off favourite for both of his subsequent outings as a juvenile, he opened his account with an easy victory in a seven-furlong maiden contest at Leicester in October.

Papal Bull was likely to improve over a longer trip at three, and so it proved when he recovered well from a tardy start to win a 10-furlong Newmarket handicap.

Open to considerable further improvement, he may not be the most straightforward of characters, but he has what it takes to capture this valuable prize.

Yesterday, Admiral made every yard of the running to land the Chester Cup for John Egan and trainer Tim Pitt at the rewarding odds of 28 to 1.

Drawn in stall one, Egan made sure he made plum use of the running rail and won by a length and a quarter from the Frankie Dettori-ridden Vinando (7 to 1).

The winner had spread a plate down at the start, but it did not seem to bother the five-year-old, who has previously been in training with Michael Stoute and Richard Guest.

The well-backed Greenwich Meantime (11 to 2) was third, having had to come right round the outside of the field, while Dancing Bay (20 to 1) stayed on for fourth.

"A piece fell out of his foot coming out of the paddock and he has got very brittle feet, but he was calm when the farrier was seeing to him," Egan said.

"I knew half a mile out that I still had plenty left, but it is easy when you are riding something like this. He thought he was just out for a hack he was going so easy. It's fantastic."

For Pitt, it is the highlight of his short training career.

"It was a great ride by John, as he has battled all week to get down to eight stone and he has given him a superb ride," he said.

"He has awful feet. He's got more filler in his feet than he has foot and we took a tiny little bit off in the saddling boxes, but by the time he had got to the start his shoe had come off. He's not bad for a horse with three legs and no feet is he?

Vinando's trainer, Charles Egerton, said: "It was slightly frustrating to finish second but he has run well. He is in no-man's land in that he is not well handicapped. He is probably Listed class but he struggles in Group races, but that was his best-ever run, it is just irritating to find one too good.

"I'll consider the Queen Alexandra at Ascot for him or the Northumberland Plate. He would be better on a more galloping track."

Richard Fahey was ruing his luck after seeing Greenwich Meantime track wide all the way round.

"He was unlucky, he was definitely the best horse in the race, the first two were drawn one and two and they walked round.

"Our horse ran well but it just never happened. He'll win the Northumberland Plate won't he?"