Water To Wine a late Chester Vase absentee
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 May 2026
Water To Wine has been described as “far from certain” to make the Betfred Derby after a temperature ruled John and Thady Gosden’s charge out of a Chester Vase clash with Epsom favourite Benvenuto Cellini.
Owned by George Strawbridge, the strapping son of Kingman was added to the Premier Classic at a cost of £14,000 after dazzling at Newbury on debut and was set to put his big-race credentials to the test in what was shaping up to be a mouthwatering Group Three contest on the Roodee.
As short as 10-1 for the Derby, but with the respective trials quickly coming and going, a run at Epsom is now looking increasingly unlikely for the highly-touted colt.
Strawbridge’s racing and bloodstock adviser Tom Goff told the Press Association: “It’s obviously disappointing but he’s a lovely horse and hopefully it is very much a temporary interruption – I’m sure he will be back and his day will come.
“In terms of the Derby it is very hard to say and we will have to see how the next few weeks go. At the moment I would describe him as a far from certain runner right now.”
Talk of the Derby was initially quashed in the immediate aftermath of Water To Wine’s taking Newbury bow, with connections at that stage favouring the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
There could now be a return to that plan with Goff adding: “I’m sure he will have some lovely entries later in the year, but this little interruption has come at the wrong time. At this time of the season it all happens very quickly from the start of the Guineas trials to the Derby.
“We will have to get him back and maybe we could have a run and then maybe go for the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot which was what we were thinking after he won at Newbury.
“I’m sure he will be back and he’s always been very much liked in training and I’m sure his day will come. We’ll get him right and hopefully he is back on track soon.”
Benvenuto Cellini puts his own Derby aspirations to the test on the Roodee.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has a fine record in this event, winning it a record 11 times and 12 months ago he saddled Lambourn before he marched on to Classic glory at Epsom.
Now hopes are high this son of Frankel can stamp his own ticket to the Derby, as Ryan Moore gets acquainted for the first time with the impressive Leopardstown Group Two winner, who ended his season an honourable third on heavy ground in the Futurity at Doncaster.
O’Brien said: “Ryan was going to ride him in Epsom (in the Blue Riband Trial), but when it got put back a week we decided we would go to Chester instead.
“He’s done very well, we’re very happy with him. It will be a nice learning experience for him and Ryan will get to see him and ride him and see what he’s like.”
Benvenuto Cellini will be joined by stablemate Proposition, with further Irish representation provided by Jessica Harrington’s Mr Vettori.
Charlie Appleby won this in 2024 and this time around he saddles Del Maro, who signed off his two-year-old season by finishing third to O’Brien’s Derby hopeful Pierre Bonnard in the Zetland Stakes and made a pleasing winning return at Yarmouth last month.
Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “We are looking forward to stepping Del Maro up in trip and feel that the track at Chester might suit.
“We need to step forward if we are to trouble Benvenuto Cellini, but our horse goes there fit and well, while this distance should hopefully see some improvement.”
Richard and Peter Fahey’s Mr Colonel completes a field of five with Andrew Balding’s Royal Standard another non-runner.
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