Adonius has Rebecca Menzies dreaming of Royal Ascot
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Wed 6 May 2026
Rebecca Menzies can justifiably dream of Royal Ascot glory with Adonius after watching her speedy juvenile blitz his rivals from the front in the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes at Chester.
Bought for £32,000 guineas as a yearling, the Soldier’s Call colt was a runaway winner on his Musselburgh debut in early April and returned to the Scottish track to defy a penalty just eight days later.
Conceding upwards of 5lb to each of his rivals over the flying five furlongs on the Roodee, Adonius (100-30) was quickly into his stride from stall one and had most of the chasing pack struggling to keep up as he set a furious pace at the head of affairs.
Hickory Lad and 7-5 favourite Wait Geordie tried to close the gap from the home turn, but the Menzies runner never really looked in any danger of being caught under Kaiya Fraser and passed the post with a length and a quarter in hand.
Menzies said: “I think we have to be thinking Royal Ascot now and every assignment we have given him, he’s just over-delivered each time.
“It was hard to know what we had, but he’s so professional and so quick out of the gates and at the moment Ascot is definitely on the agenda – he’s done nothing wrong has he?
“I think he’s all speed and five furlongs is his trip and there is the National Stakes at Sandown as well we could look at, but I think the owners are really keen to go to Ascot. They’re such an enthusiastic bunch and that win today will mean the world to them.
“Fair play to them for letting me keep him as there were offers that rolled in and he could easily have had a new postcode, but they have let me roll the dice. ”
Adonius was too quick for his rivals (Martin Rickett/PA)
Not only was it Menzies’ first winner at Chester, but it was also a first for Fraser, further cementing the duo’s blossoming relationship.
“I’ve got so much confidence whenever I leg Kaiya up, whether that is a 0-55 on a Friday night at Newcastle or a horse like this,” Menzies added.
“He’s a measured rider, a clever rider and has an incredible clock in his head.
“We’ve always got on well since he first started riding for me as a claimer and we’ve had plenty of winners together. It’s my first winner at Chester and his as well and it’s great to do it together.
“His agent had horses in our yard and recommended him to me when he was still claiming for Harry Eustace. He got on a few of ours and then joked everything he touched turned to gold and it genuinely did.
“He’s such a good rider and has a great job with Harry Eustace and it’ll be great to see him keep getting his chances on the big days.”
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