Hamish joins elite club by retaining Ormonde in Chester Hamish, trained by William Haggas, secured back-to-back victories in the tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Ormonde Stakes at Chester, becoming the first horse in over 20 years to do so. Despite being a seven-year-old, Hamish has only raced sparingly, with this being his 15th career start, including three Group Three-level victories and success in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot in October. Given favorable conditions, Hamish (7-4) was given time by Tom Marquand to settle in behind, while the 11-10 favorite, Changingoftheguard, took the lead. Around the turn for home, Changingoftheguard came under pressure, while Hamish made his move, ultimately winning by a length and a quarter. Lone Eagle persevered well in second place and split the pair. Hamish is now one of only four horses to win a second Ormonde Stakes, the first in over twenty years since St.Expedit claimed successive wins in 2001 and 2002. Maureen Haggas, assistant to her husband, said: “He was second in the Irish Leger last year and is in at York (Yorkshire Cup) next week. He could run there if there was some cut in the ground and he told us he was ready, as William’s father (Brian Haggas, owner) loves York. “He had a tendon injury as a four-year-old — who knows what he might have achieved without that? But he’s one Andrew Tinkler and I fight to ride (at home), you get such an attachment to a horse like him. “He once ran on good to firm at Newbury but he won’t be asked to race on anything faster than genuine good ground again. “The whole family like a bit of cut in the ground, and all credit to him today as it wasn’t run to suit him.”
