Illinois began his season in the best possible fashion with a gritty success in the Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
A Royal Ascot winner in the Queen’s Vase last year, he was also second in the Grand Prix de Paris and the St Leger.
He was giving weight away to some decent rivals due to a penalty picked up in France on his final outing but Ryan Moore was thankful to Sam James for coming off the rail on the pace setting Al Qareem.
That allowed Illinois (6/5 favourite) to sneak up his inside and lead into the straight, but once there he thought he had done enough and Absurde and Al Qareem began to come back at him.
However, Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old was kept up to his work to beat the rallying Al Qareem by a length and a quarter to ensure the Ballydoyle handler had won all four major races on the opening two days of the meeting.
Ryan Moore spoke to Sky Sports Racing after victories in the Cheshire Oaks and Chester Vase on Wednesday.
Paul Smith, son of co-owner Derrick, said: “That was very pleasing, he’s a lovely horse and very versatile.
“I was just talking to Aidan there and you could drop him back in trip for the Coronation Cup or you could step him up for Cup races – he’d do whatever you want for you.
“He’s a big, strong animal so he will improve for the run. Ryan was very happy, he was waiting at the bend for something to take him there and they didn’t, so he had to go and he was just playing around in front at the end.
“He won two Group Twos last year and carried the penalty today, so he’s a proper horse.”
Michael Owen was among the winning owners on day two of the Chester May Festival and celebrated with a rather emotional teammate.
On Moore’s performance in the saddle, riding four O’Brien-trained winners in two days, Smith added: “He’s a cool customer and it’s like when you see Roger Federer play tennis – it looks effortless and that is the way he rides his horses.
“He never panics and there’s always more time with Ryan Moore than you think.”
Speaking from his Ballydoyle base, O’Brien said: “We’re looking forward to Illinois this year. Physically he’s changed into a four-year-old, which is great.
“We thought this was a nice place to start him and he could go back (in trip) for the Coronation at Epsom, so we’ll see how he is but it is very possible that he could.
“He looks a real mile-and-a-half horse who stays the trip very well. He’s a big, straightforward horse and I was delighted with him today.”
