Illinois Becomes Ballydoyle’s Fourth Stakes Winner Of The Week

Illinois (4c Galileo – Danedrop, by Danehill) completed a Ballydoyle cleansweep of the first four Stakes races at Chester’s May meeting when defying a penalty in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes on Thursday.

Ryan Moore took the ride, as he had on the first three winners, and the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite to race in second. Quickening before the three-furlong pole, the Coolmore homebred led turning for home and continued to stay on well in the straight. He was ridden out to score by a length and a quarter, with another half a length back to the well-backed Absurde (Fastnet Rock) in third.

“That was very pleasing, he's a lovely horse,” Paul Smith said after the race. “Illinois is a big, fine, strong animal so he will improve for the run. Ryan was very happy with him.

“He's very versatile. We've just been talking to Aidan and you could drop him back in trip for the Coronation Cup or you could step him up to Cup races. He'd do whatever you want for you. He's a two-time Group 2 winner and carried the penalty today and did it really well. He's a lovely horse to have, we're lucky.”

The son of Galileo has never finished out of the first three in his career, the highlights of which are three Group wins and three placings at Group 1 level.

The previous race, the Listed Dee Stakes, saw Mount Kilimanjaro (3c Siyouni – Decorating, by Galileo) stay on strongly to justify even-money favouritism by a neck.

It was an impressive performance by the colt, considering the amount of ground he had to make up as they turned for home, on his first attempt over ten furlongs. He had previously won the valuable Arqana sales race over a mile at Longchamp, before finishing second in the Group 1 Criterium International won by stablemate Twain (Wootton Bassett).

After his latest win, Paul Smith commented: “Ryan [Moore] gave Mount Kilimanjaro a great ride, he was very patient. The pace was very honest and he didn't panic and the horse quickened up well and showed a nice attitude. He'll come forward from this and we're delighted with him.

“A Derby of some sorts - the Epsom Derby or the French Derby - are the options for him. We'll see how the trials go and where they'll all go.”