9 May. GB. Addleshaw Goddard Dee S. G3. Chester. 10,3f. Turf. 65.000 £
1.- TAJAAWEED (R.Hills)
2.- UNNEFER (T.Durcan)
3.- ACHILL ISLAND (J.Murtagh)


Tajaaweed came with a powerful late run to snatch a thrilling victory for Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Hills in the Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes at Chester.

Henry Cecil’s Unnefer looked to have seized the initiative just over a furlong from home, but the 5-1 scorer flew up the rail to get on top by a short head in the shadow of the post.

Achill Island had to settle for third, some five lengths away, while Godolphin’s Alexandros was in the process of running a big race when badly interfered with on the home turn.

Hills told Channel 4 Racing: “We had an awful draw but I spoke to Sir Michael and he just said to ride him with confidence and keep him balanced. He was always going to pick up but I didn’t really want to go down the inside. He did well, he did very well.

“He’s a very big sort of horse and he’s overcome a lot of obstacles and showed a nice turn of foot in the end. He’s very tall and we thought a lot of him last year so he was thrown in at the deep end very quickly but he’s wintered very well.”

Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, added: “He’s a great big horse so it was nice to see him handle the track as well as he did and to see him progress from two to three. I thought the second horse (Unnefer) had slipped him and I thought he knuckled down really well.”

Tajaaweed holds an entry in the Vodafone Derby and the team will now consider a crack at the Epsom Classic.

“I think he’ll come on for today and the experience will stand him in good stead. I’m sure, unless something goes wrong, we’d be silly not to consider it,” Gold continued.

Of Unnefer, Cecil said: “He didn’t quite get it in the last half-furlong. He did everything right but the other horse outstayed him. He wants soft ground so we will pick and choose his races from here.”