Admiral rules in Chester Cup
Keen to partner a horse he thought might have a squeak, Egan wasted away to put up just 1lb overweight at 8st 1lb on the winner.
He might have been lacking in pounds but Egan was missing nothing in guile as Admiral beat Vinando (7-1) and Greenwich Meantime (11-2) by a length and a quarter and a head.
Dictating a pedestrian early pace for the first circuit, his 16 rivals inexplicably allowed him all the leeway he needed to kick for home five furlongs out and build up an advantage that was held all the way to the winning post.
“When I got him out in front he was loving it and I think he could have gone around again”, said Egan.
“I wanted the rail and it was the plan to make the running as once you get in front around here you can just jog round.
“I knew half a mile out that I still had plenty left but it is easy when you are riding something like this. I thought that if I could get to the five-pole and still just be creeping then they would have a job to get past me.
“He thought he was just out for a hack he was going so easy. It’s fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Time On galloped her way into the Classic picture with a resounding victory in the Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks.
The daughter of Sadler’s Wells is not entered in the Vodafone Oaks but after giving her a brilliant front-running ride at Chester, Frankie Dettori suggested to owner Robert Barnett that he should supplement her for Epsom.
The Italian set a steady pace on John Dunlop’s charge before increasing the tempo off the final bend and the 2-1 favourite quickened away to land the Listed contest in good style by three lengths from Mont Etoile.
It would cost connections £20,000 to add her to the Oaks, for which William Hill go 12-1 with a supplemented proviso while Ladbrokes priced Time On at 8-1 with the same condition.
Dettori was completing a 17-1 double having delighted his supporters by booting Mubaashir home in the opening Joseph Heler Cheese Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes.
Cav Okay was sent off at 4-11 for the five-furlong dash but the hot favourite had no answer to the winner’s finishing kick as the Ed Dunlop-trained 5-1 shot powered home to score by a length and a half.
A step up to six furlongs is now on the cards for Mubaashir.
Cashmans go 5-1 from 9-1 Mubaashir for the Coventry Stakes.
Champion jockey Jamie Spencer broke his Roodee duck when he made all the running on Divine Gift in the Breitling Watches & Waltons Of Chester Handicap.
The Kevin Ryan-trained gelding settled well in the lead before stretching away to beat Nice Tune by one and a quarter lengths.
Admiral had made all to win the totesport Chester Cup and Galient became the fourth horse to do so on the day in the Walker Smith Way Handicap.
But Philip Robinson did not have matters all his own way as the leader was harried by Spencer on Remember Ramon, but the 15-8 favourite proved the stronger and after shaking off his rival he held on to score by a length from Daylami Star.
Barry Hills rarely leaves Chester empty-handed and he saddled Captain Marvelous to win the closing Grant Thornton UK EBF Maiden Stakes.
