Armory should shoot down surprising market leader if ready to fire in Huxley

2.15 Chester
Melodi Media Huxley Stakes | 1m2½f | 4yo+ | ITV4/Sky

There has been a certain keenness among bookmakers to take on Aidan O'Brien's runners at Chester this week and the latest example is Armory, who was initially chalked up only second best by virtually every layer but should surely be the clear favourite here on all known form.

You wouldn't have to look too hard to find examples of O'Brien-trained Group 1 performers who are undercooked for their returns as it happens regularly enough, but if this race was a handicap Armory would have to give 6lb to favourite Sangarius and upwards of 11lb to the other three.

His trainer has been on record as saying Armory doesn't want soft ground, so with more rain around that could be used as an excuse if he gets beaten – it just wouldn't be a very good excuse.

It was officially soft when Armory ran second to former stablemate Sir Dragonet in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October, while his length third in the Prix Jean Luc Lagadere on very soft ground at Longchamp was his peak effort as a juvenile.

Armory has been beaten first time up both seasons he has raced, but last year he started in the Irish 2,000 Guineas so finishing fourth to Siskin can hardly be deemed a poor effort.

O'Brien has run just three in this race over the last decade, with Await The Dawn and Deauville winning in 2011 and 2017, and War Decree finishing second in 2018.

His big market rival Sangarius has questions to answer, as he underwent wind surgery after a disappointing reappearance effort in the Brigadier Gerard last season and ran only once more.

That was in December when he beat the reopposing Bangkok by a nose in a Listed event at Lingfield, after which he was sent for another wind operation.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained five-year-old won the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot on soft ground in 2019 and is clearly very talented, but he's also fragile and is a surprising market leader.

After running Sangarius close at Lingfield, Bangkok was in turn just a neck in front of Palavecino at the same track last month.

That form isn't going to be good enough if O'Brien's Armory is ready to fire.
Race analysis by Paul Kealy

Sangarius 'needs to get into a rhythm'

Sangarius has shown flashes of brilliance, but through no fault of his own they have been all too fleeting.

The Juddmonte homebred's career has been interrupted by setbacks, and connections are hoping for a clearer run with the five-year-old this season.

Sangarius, who has run only twice since winning the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2019, has had wind surgery after both those most recent starts, but was a winner last time out in the Listed Quebec Stakes at Lingfield in December.

Sangarius: just two runs since winning at Royal Ascot in 2019Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The son of Kingman, a winner of four of his seven starts, will aim to extend trainer Sir Michael Stoute's record number of victories in the race to seven.

Juddmonte racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: "He's had a bit of a break after winning at Lingfield and his spring work has been encouraging. He's been moving well and looks in good form.

"He's five now and has had one or two issues and needs to get into a rhythm. Kingmans seem to go on most ground and as long as the going is reasonable, I think he'll be all right."

Sangarius renews an intense rivalry with the Andrew Balding-trained Bangkok, who he beat a nose at Lingfield and a neck when they met on their debuts at Newmarket in August 2018.

The chief threat though, according to the market, is likely to come from the Aidan O'Brien-trained Armory, who was runner-up in the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia on his last start in October on ground described as soft.

Having won the Futurity Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old and the Royal Whip Stakes at that track last year, the Galileo colt has leading form claims.

O'Brien said: "He seems to be in very good form and we're all very happy with him.

"He had a cracking run in the Cox Plate and has done well since. We're looking forward to getting him started and this looked a nice place to do that."

What the rest say

Alastair Donald, racing manager for King Power Racing, owners of Bangkok
The forecast looks promising and we're hoping the ground dries a bit as he's not so good on good to soft. If we get good ground, he has every chance as he's super consistent and goes round the tight track at Lingfield.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Palavecino
On strict form he's got two or three to beat, but he's improving as he showed last time. He's been to Chester once but loved it and won well. It's hard to say he's going to beat the favourite or Armory, but he's on the upgrade and is one to watch.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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