CHESTER

ANDREW Balding has been in good form all season and the Kingsclere trainer landed the feature race at Chester last Saturday when 11/10 favourite Duretto came from off the pace for Graham Lee to take the Listed32Red.com Stand Cup over a mile and a half, from Across The Stars.

It was a close finish, with Sir Michael Stoute’s horse closing to within half a length, but the winner had a little in hand on the heavy ground.

Duretto had not been seen since his reappearance here in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes but he was clearly very fit.

He has won on both occasions Lee has ridden him and seems to be happy in small fields; he only faced four other rivals last Saturday.

“He looked fantastic,” Balding’s wife Anna Lisa said. “He’ll go either for the St Simon Stakes at Newbury, which he won last year, or the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day.”

DOUBLE FOR NORTON

Franny Norton rides Chester particularly well and completed a double on 11/4 favourite Show Palace for Jennie Candlish in the opening sprint handicap and Shaya, 13/8, for Roger Fell in the two-year-old novice stakes.

That feat was matched by Ben Curtis, successful on Porchy Party for local trainer Tom Dascombe in the nursery and Bahama Moon, yet another winning favourite, at 7/2, for David Barron in the mile and a quarter handicap.