Racing: Dutch Gold lifts Vase to put spring back in Brittain's step

The last two years have been cruel for Clive Brittain. His hip went and so too did the horses as the Newmarket trainer became an increasing pitiful figure. His career appeared to be approaching a terminus. Brittain himself knew what people were thinking.

"I was dragging myself around at the sales and I think it put people off," he said yesterday. "I was an absolute cripple. I'm sure they thought that this old bastard was going under.

"I know I looked terrible. Probably looked like I was dying. If you look washed up and going backwards and you're having a bad run you don't get new owners. People spend thousands of pounds on buying these horses and you can't expect them to support you if you're going down."

Brittain was certainly down, physically and numerically, his string reduced to 55 from a peak of 140. But just as it looked like curtains, Clive Brittain opened them to glorious sunshine.

A hip replacement operation was eventually undertaken in February. At the same time there was successful surgery on his fortunes. When Dutch Gold won the Chester Vase here yesterday it meant that Brittain could look down on all his colleagues from the summit of the trainers' championship with around £350,000 in prize-money. At 69, he is back. "I've reared up and come again," he said.

The Chester Vase these days may be more an indicator to the St Leger than the Derby. It has produced two winners – Toulon (1991) and Millenary (2000) – and three placed horses in the oldest Classic in 12 years. Yet the identity of the 1981 victor means it will always be of some reference for the Blue Riband. Shergar's scamper around the Roodeye was followed by a 10-length victory at Epsom which remains a post-war record.

Dutch Gold would have to be supplemented for the Derby at a cost of £90,000 – the Italian version on 25 May is an alternative – but at least his team knows he will not fail for stamina.

The chestnut did it the man's way over an extended mile and a half around Britain's tightest track. It was a triumph also for Frankie Dettori's tactical acumen as he led all the way, increasing the tempo until his three rivals were left squeaking, six lengths and more behind. "This is a jockeys' course and a racehorses' course and if you marry the two then you win Chester Vases," Brittain added.

"He's as good a horse as I've run here. Luso ran here, then went on and won the Italian Derby and this horse probably has a bit more kick. And that's essential for Epsom because without speed you're in need."

Dettori himsef added: "He's tough and strong and a live contender." There is plenty of 33-1.

David Loder, too, has set about cleaning the smear from his reputation this spring and Parasol's fourth consecutive success in the Listed Huxley Stakes meant further joy for the Newmarket precinct. The prizes become even more glittering from here as Royal Ascot's Hardwicke Stakes and Chicago's Arlington Million have been assigned as Parasol's future targets.

There is nothing of that calibre on the banks of the Dee this afternoon, but there is history, cheeses and one of the most dramatic spectacles of the Flat season when 18 horses whistle around the two miles, two furlongs and 147 yards of the 168th running of the Chester Cup.

When they first ran this bewildering race in 1824 it was called the Tradesmen's Cup, a different name in different times. An essential part of Cup week was a prestigious cock fighting tournament. The race itself became the biggest betting contest in the calendar. Chester has since lost that cachet though not the fascination as the field passes the winning post on three occasions.

Today's Run For The Cheeses has a high-quality topweight in Michael Stoute's Cover Up, the winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot. He may be the only horse in training for whom this journey is on the sharp side.

There are others further down better qualified. Tim Easterby's Bourgeois should go well as he looked a little porky before his seasonal debut victory at Haydock last month. But the one for the money is a gelding who finished well into fourth over an inadequate trip behind Henry Cecil's well-regarded Chai Walla on his reappearance at Newmarket. There are few trainers going through a more fertile phase than Amanda Perrett, even fewer horses with the credentials of her BIG MOMENT (nap 2.55).

RACING IN BRIEF: NEW DERBY FAVOURITE

* Refuse To Bend, winner of Saturday's 2,000 Guineas, is now the 7-2 joint favourite, from 4-1, for the Derby with Alamshar in Ladbrokes' book after the firm took a £2,000 bet in cash on Dermot Weld's colt in one of their shops.

* Elusive City, Gerald Butler's Prix Morny winner, is one of four British acceptors for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) at Longchamp on Sunday. There are eight British acceptors in the fillies' equivalent, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, headed by Ed Dunlop's Nasij.

* Two of the Kentucky Derby also-rans, Buddy Gil, who finished sixth and ninth-placed Ten Most Wanted, were injured in the race at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The Santa Anita Derby winner Buddy Gil has bone chips, and the Illinois Derby winner Ten Most Wanted was found to have a back problem.