Tornado Tower storms to promising Chester win

The race could be on to get Tornado Tower one more outing before a potential Royal Ascot bid after he opened his account at the second attempt at Chester.

John and Thady Gosden’s son of Frankel is regally bred, being a brother to Irish Derby and St Leger winner Hurricane Lane, and caught the eye on debut at Nottingham when a fast-finishing second.

Sent off at 13-8 for the TMT Group Maiden Stakes he put the experience of that Colwick Park outing to good use in the hands of James Doyle, delivering a two-length success in a professional manner.

He could now run again before the Royal meeting begins in mid-June, where one of the three-year-old handicaps could become an option.

John Gosden said: “He’s nicely bred and a grand horse and he ran well at Nottingham first time out. We gave him a nice time in between and he’s done really well physically.

“Over a mile and a quarter round here you learn a lot, this was just his second start. Once he got the hang of it he travelled well into the race and now we know he’s fine over a mile and a quarter, but you could step him up to a mile and a half whenever you want.

“Royal Ascot might come to soon, but we could get another run and then look at the handicaps. You could put in a few fancy entries as well if you wanted and we could certainly squeeze another run in comfortably.

“Whether we wind up in the mile-and-a-half handicap (King George V Stakes) or the mile-and-a-quarter handicap (Golden Gates Stakes) or maybe even the King Edward VII, I don’t know, but we’re delighted with him here.

“The owners (Wathnan Racing) have been very patient with him which has been incredibly helpful.”

James Owen won the Chester Cup 12 months ago and was back in the winner’s enclosure after saddling 25-1 chance Cherry Baker to win the American Holidays Handicap.

The concluding Roodee Handicap went the way of Andrew Balding’s 5-2 favourite Dance In The Storm after receiving a sterling ride by Oisin Murphy from stall 11.

Anna Lisa Balding said: “It was tricky from 11 and she can be a little bit keen and has been stuck on the wing the whole way and to win like that, it was a great ride from Oisin.

“I think she’ll have earned whatever rise she gets and she’s a lovely, well-bred filly. She’s been working well ahead of today and Andrew will be delighted, but no one will be more delighted than the owner, Jeff Smith.”