Racing: Kris Kin upsets calculations to stake claim for Derby

It is always compelling coming to the Roodeye for Chester's three-day May meeting. The proximity of the horses to their audience, the singularity of the circuit and the thought that centurions probably worked out their multiple bets here 2,000 years before there were yankees make it a gathering to savour.

Yet we must not fool ourselves that meaningful auditions for the Classics take place here. Indeed, the concept of Britain as a whole staging meaningful tests for Epsom is virtually bankrupt. They have become little more than show trials.

The blame, if we can call it that, lies with Godolphin and the Irish-based Derby horses which have become increasingly influential in recent times. Ireland is on a four-timer in the Derby following the exploits of High Chaparral, Galileo and Sinndar. Six of the top seven in this year's Classic betting are housed across the Irish Sea and only Refuse To Bend, the 2,000 Guineas winner, has been made available for British public consumption in advance of 7 June.

There were no key Irish horses in Chester's Classic trials this week, none from Godolphin. In fact, there were hardly any horses at all. The course executive are even talking about reducing prize-money for the Vase and Dee Stakes, both of which attracted four runners.

Those two races, and Wednesday's Cheshire Oaks, were won by horses not even entered for Epsom. There are still supplementary stages, a route favoured by many leading owners, but it is a disturbing trend.

Yesterday's Dee Stakes was won by a colt of Fabergé egg rarity, a Michael Stoute-trained animal who was the 20-1 complete outsider in a Group race. Kris Kin won a contest which was dramatic throughout.

Big Bad Bob seemed intent on playing to his name as soon as the stalls opened, veering to the right and disturbing both Kris Kin and Private Charter. The dark figure of the 4-9 favourite soon led, but he never had either a superior air or lead.

At the clubhouse bend Big Bad Bob jinked unexpectedly right because, according to Kieren Fallon, he was distracted by a gate. It certainly cost him momentum.

Coming into the straight it became clear that Kris Kin held sway. Fergal Lynch, collecting his first Group success, celebrated by punching the air. The elements got their revenge, though, when Kris Kin too threw in a swerve, after the post. Lynch tumbled across the Cheshire turf before regaining his feet with gymnastic flourish.

Those who believe the chestnut will be added to the Derby field can avail themselves of 25-1 with William Hill. The same team supplemented Beat All for the 1999 Blue Riband in which he was third to Oath. "Kris Kin is hard to assess because he is so lazy at home," Bruce Raymond, assistant racing manager to Saeed Suhail, said. "But the owner likes to have runners in the Derby."

The Ormonde Stakes went more to script, as Asian Heights enabled Geoff Wragg and Darryll Holland to record a hat-trick in the race following the exploits of St Expedit the previous two seasons. Compton Bolter initially got to the lead in the Group Three contest with Spanish John in behind. Even early on though Asian Heights was the distinctive presence, purring along in third on the rail, switched off and sweet.

The even money favourite was three wide going into the final bend, two off the rail coming out of it and then on his own as the field straightened up. He was simply the best.

"The track kept him on his game because there was a lot going on around him," Holland said. "I was always in the perfect position and he picked up when I wanted. Normally you've got a million excuses for why you got beat round here, but today everything went perfect."

Asian Heights' programme includes the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which he ran such a stinker last autumn, finishing an uninterested 14th of 16 behind Marienbard. "I still can't understand what happened last year," Wragg said. "It might be that he just didn't get into the race from a very bad draw. We dropped the horse out and he seemed to think he was just there for a canter round. I told Darryll today to make sure he got into the bloody race, to get him competitive."