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Yard claims a one-two in Listed feature

Vivid Diamond led home a one-two for Mark Johnston in the Sportpesa Chester Stakes.

A field of just six runners went to post for the Listed feature on the Roodee, but the one-mile-six-furlong contest did not lack intrigue, with Outbox the hot favourite for Simon Crisford and Argentinian recruit Stivers making his debut for Irish maestro Dermot Weld.

The Johnston-trained Persian Moon took the sextet along for much of the way and still held a narrow advantage rounding the final turn.

There were plenty of traffic problems in behind, with his stablemate Vivid Diamond (7-1) battling his way through in the hands of Franny Norton – coming close with Tribal Craft which had a knock on effect on Outbox and to a lesser extent, Stivers.

The incident made little different to the result, however, as once in the clear, Vivid Diamond powered home to score by five lengths from Persian Moon, with Outbox ultimately well-beaten in third.