Lonhro won back-to-back runnings of the G2 Chelmsford Stakes in 2002 and 2003 and this year it was the turn of his son O’Lonhro, who provided his sire with his second Group winner in consecutive weekends after the triumph of Denman in the G1 Golden Rose.
Realtively inexperienced for a four-year-old, O’Lonro was successful in his only two starts last season and has since been runner-up in a further two starts of the new season, including finishing just three-quarters of a length behind Trusting on his previous outing in the G2 Warwick Stakes on 22 August.
That very promising effort saw him backed into firm favourite for the Chelmsford and his supporters would have had not a moment’s worry as he jumped well, sitting just off the pace in second for much of the race before building his momentum coming off the turn for a solid victory.
Just like Lonhro and Octagonal, O’Lonhro is trained by John Hawkes, who now operates in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, and their charge may now head for the G1 Epsom Handicap on 3 October.
O’Lonhro was bred by R J Gall and is out of the multiple Group winner Mamzelle Pedrille (Zoffany), who has also produced three- and two-year-old full-brothers to O’Lonhro and has a yearling filly by Commands. Mamzelle Pedrille is currently in-foal again to Lonhro.
Later on the Randwick card, Strat's Flyer, a son of Strategic, was second in the G3 Tramway Handicap while at Flemington, Rarefied, by Commands, took third in the G2 Danehill Stakes.
