Only six line up for the Ormonde Stakes, but this has the makings of a cracking renewal.
Aidan O’Brien has won the Ormonde Stakes three times in the last six runnings, and he sends over Group 3 winner and St Leger second, Illinois, to try to extend his standout record in the Ormonde Stakes.
Meanwhile, UK and Irish Champion National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins sends over course winner and Melbourne Cup fifth, Absurde.
Get the best horse racing odds from the best horse racing betting sites here.
Group 3 Ormonde Stakes Runner By Runner Betting Guide
1 Illinois (6)
- Age: 4
- Weight: 9st 7lb
- Form: 12221-
- Rating: 116
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Odds: 11/10
Placed in two Group 1s and a winner of a Group 3 on Arc weekend as a three-year-old, Illinois is the type of horse who will only get better with age, but will a tight track like Chester suit this imposing son of Galileo?
He may find things happening too quickly around here on his first start of the season. He doesn’t strike me as a horse who will enjoy the tight turns of Chester, and he would be more at home on a galloping track.
Illinois may have the class to see him to the winner’s enclosure, but he will need to be on his A-game if he is to concede weight all around and take care of some talented rival. And as we know with Aidan O’Brien, he always leaves a lot to work with on his runners’ first outing of the season.
Star rating: 
3 Absurde (1)
- Age: 7
- Weight: 9st 2lb
- Form: 7/415-
- Rating: 110
- Jockey: William Buick
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Odds: 5/2
Now that Willie Mullins has conquered all before him over jumps, he now sets his eyes on Group 3 glory with the talented dual-purpose Absurde. When last seen on the flat, Absurde finished fifth, less than two lengths off winning the Melbourne Cup.
Since then, he was a good third when trying to win back-to-back County Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival, finding only Ndaawi and stablemate Kargese to be too good. Absurde followed that run with an easy win in the Sussex Champion Hurdle under Harry Cobden.
He comes in here at peak fitness, getting weight off Illinois, and with a course win to his name. Given that he has much in his favour here, he can get the better of an early-season Illinois.
Star rating:
2 Al Qareem (1)
- Age: 6
- Weight: 9st 5lb
- Form: 114-31
- Rating: 112
- Jockey: Sam James
- Trainer: Karl Burke
- Odds: 4/1
You can set your clock by Al Qareem, and there is no reason why he won’t be bang there fighting out the finish today. He took his career wins to nine when gamely holding off Divine Comedy in a driving finish at Nottingham.
Al Qareem has run twice at Chester, winning both times and getting the better of none other than the now Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestockings in 2023. He handles any ground conditions and has race fitness on his side, but he may be a shade vulnerable to a classier/speedier type here.
Star rating:
Bet on Al Qareem with talkSPORT BET
6 Roaring Legend (4)
- Age: 5
- Weight: 9st 2lb
- Form: 1/1116
- Rating: 104
- Jockey: David Probert
- Trainer: Hugo Palmer
- Odds: 16/1
Roaring Legend is on his third trainer, but he hit a purple patch since switching to Higo Plamer from Olly Murphy, winning three of his four starts, admittedly all on the all-weather.
He comes here on the back of what can only be described as a tired-looking run. Roaring Legend made smooth headway 2f out at Newcastle, only to find very little when asked for his full effort, and he was eventually beaten ten lengths into sixth. That run was just over three weeks ago, and he will need to leave the run well behind him to get off the mark back on turf for new connections. Even if he does come back to his best, he looks as if he will be outclassed here.
Star rating:
Bet on Roaring Legend with bet365
4 Mondo Man (3)
- Age: 4
- Weight: 9st 2lb
- Form: 32547-
- Rating: 110
- Jockey: Tom Queally
- Trainer: Gary & Josh Moore
- Odds: 18/1
Mondo Man had a promising start to life for Gary & Josh Moore when chasing home Lulamba on his hurdles debut, but his failure to settle has scuppered his progress.
This race will be his first run back on the flat since his seventh in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp (Illinois finished runner-up), but his keen racing nature got the better of him on that day.
If he is to have any chance of playing a part in the finish or getting closer to Illinois, he needs to learn how to drop his head. Until he starts to settle, he is opposable.
Star rating:
Bet on Mondo Man with Paddy Power
5 Mount Atlas (5)
- Age: 4
- Weight: 9st 2lb
- Form: 1312-4
- Rating: 98
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- Trainer: Andrew Balding
- Odds: 25/1
Mount Atlas is the lowest rated in the field, but he has room for a lot more improvement after being gelded. He ran like a horse that needed the run on his comeback, and now that he is faced with a new trip that looks set to suit, Mount Atlas can put up a much better showing. But even if he pulls off a career-best, it will likely not be enough to get the better of the top three in the betting.
Star rating:
Bet on Mount Atlas with Betfred
Group 3 Ormonde Stakes verdict
The top three in the betting look to be the ones to concentrate on win-wise, and with race fitness on his side and room for even more improvement back on the level, ABSURDE can prove hard to beat here.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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