Trial winner not in Derby

HIGH BAROQUE highlighted the failings of the Epsom Derby entry system when, as the only runner not in the Classic, he completed a hat-trick by winning the Chester Vase yesterday.

He captured the established Epsom trial in the manner of an improving colt when stretching to a length and a quarter victory over St Mawes with favourite Air Quest only fifth.

As a result the outcome had little bearing on the ante-post betting for the Derby only to underline the growing strength in depth of the Peter Chapple-Hyam stable.

He already trains the highly-rated Nash House, a top priced 7 to 1 for the Classic, and Astor Place, whose odds were cut to 20 to 1 (from 33-1) by Coral following a gallop with his stablemate at Manton yesterday.

And he has Heron Island who runs in this weekend's Lingfield Derby trial, and Legal Right, who initiated a stable double in the Grosvenor Maiden in reserve.

High Baroque swept from last to first to hit the front inside the final furlong and win going away. "He didn't act on the track at all but John Reid gave him a superb ride. He is a slow learner but was doing his best work in the final furlong," said Chappel-Hyam.

"He's up there with my other mile-and-a-half colts. They've all worked together and he's been going particularly well. But Nash House is my number one, the one thing he can do is quicken. He goes whoosh whereas the others just gallop."

As a son of the so-far unproven High Estate, High Baroque was not considered good enough to engage in the Derby at either, yearling or April supplementary entry stages and now the French and Irish Derbies, which both operate much later supplementary entry deadlines, or the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, could figure in his programme.

Epsom's proposed "wild card", .entry idea, to catch late developers such as Pentire last year, and get them a run in the Derby, would be ideal for High Baroque.

But Robert Sangster, who owns a third of the colt with Michael Tab or and John Magnier, is against it. "You've got to have the balls to put them in," he said, only to reflect after the Vase victory, "perhaps I should be in favour of it now!"

Speedy youngster Connemara is bound for Royal Ascot after claiming the notable scalp of Carmine Lake. Betting had suggested the outcome of the Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes was a formality, with Carmine Lake sent off at a prohibitive 4 to 9.

But the market had it all wrong as Connemara made all the running and never appeared likely to be beaten at any stage. Jockey Kieran Fallon had the luxury of taking a peep at his toiling rivals inside the final furlong and at the line the filly was one and a half lengths clear of Foot Battalion with Carmine Lake third.

Controversy raged at Newton Abbot, yesterday when trainers and jockeys were left seething about the state of the track and six horses were withdrawn.

David Gandolfo's daughter Sarah decided to withdraw her father's Mouse Bird stating: "It's horrific out there, we cannot run our horse, on that as you cannot take the risk."