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TRAIL-BLAZING front-runner Cardinal Venture (3.00) might well prove impossible to peg back in the Warwick International Handicap on the final afternoon of Chester's three-day Festival.

A single figure draw in stall six should enable jockey Neil Callan to grab the far side rail aboard Cardinal Venture, who loves to adopt catch-me-if-you-can tactics.

Such a ploy has worked time and time again at the track, so the North Yorkshire-based combination seem certain to be in the shake-up.

The Dee Stakes sets up a mouth-watering clash between some of Newmarket's big guns, plus Irish raider, Gypsy King (2.00), in the extended 1-mile Group 3 contest.

Sir Michael Stoute sets his followers a hard-to-solve puzzle by fielding two extremely highly regarded three-year-olds, Mordor and Zalongo, in the recognised Derby trial.

It was only a couple of years ago that Sir Michael used the race as a stepping stone for Kris Kin prior to winning the big one at Epsom, therefore presumably he means business with both.

Presented with this teaser, it may be best to give the pair a swerve and side with Gypsy King from the all-conquering Aidan O'Brien camp. Reports are positive from the Ballydoyle gallops concerning the unbeaten colt, a point underlined by the fact connections have been persuaded to bring their horse over to see if he can cut the mustard at the highest level.

The £75,000 Blue Square Ormonde Stakes can be safely left to Day Flight (2.30), a four-year-old already reckoned to be a live future prospect for none other than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Day Flight ground out a gritty victory in Newbury's Group 3 John Porter Stakes last month, despite being ill at ease on the pudding-like surface at the Berkshire venue.

John Gosden's class act is less likely to encounter similarly tiring turf, paving the way for another pattern race triumph and a further shift up the middle-distance championship tree.

* A drop in trip did the trick for Maraahel as the colt got back on the winning track in the Jardine Lloyd Thompson Huxley Stakes on the second afternoon of the Chester May Festival.

The son of Alzao has been running with distinction over distances further than this extended ten furlongs.

Yesterday's race, which was run as a Group Three for the first time, appeared to be a competitive affair but ultimately Maraahel proved too good for his nine rivals.

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