THERE were mixed fortunes for Irish-trained horses in other raids on British prizes last week. Deauville took the Group 3 Huxley Stakes at Chester by a neck from Poet’s Word under a fine front-running ride from Ryan Moore, quickening at the end of a steadily-run race and posting a timefigure of just 77 to underline the race’s tactical nature (115 is his career best).

The Group 3 Ormonde Stakes on the same track the following day represented far more of a test of stamina, and not just because the race distance was just over three furlongs further. Sectionals have US Army Ranger running the last two furlongs almost 3.0 secs slower than Deauville had done, and the strong pace/slow finish proved just too much for the four-year-old, who was caught on the line by a reluctant-looking Western Hymn. Some have doubted US Army Ranger’s own resolution but he would probably have taken this faced with slightly less of a test of stamina, and his 111 timefigure (108 for Western Hymn) was a new personal best.