Steve looks at Coolmore’s gun three-year-old sprinter Caravaggio, who could be headed to the Everest.
Steve looks at Coolmore’s gun three-year-old sprinter Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) who, this week, has been touted as a possible Everest (1200m) runner.
I’m not too sure about the unbeaten son of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) making an appearance at Royal Randwick, in October, with the adjustment on the Weight-For-Age scale for a Northern Hemisphere three-year-old (soon to be four) likely to conspire against such a plan.
However, he is expected to be at Royal Ascot in two weeks time and the collection of three-year-old sprinters primed for the Royal meeting may well be of greater interest than most other races – including a St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) rematch between Churchill (Galileo) and the possibly still untapped Barney Roy (Excelebration).
Caravaggio, Acapulco and Lady Aurelia, each by the ill-fated Scat Daddy, have returned with decisive first-up wins in 2017, and they add some sparkle to the sprint division which has limited depth among the older horses.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Acapulco is likely to take on former stablemate Lady Aurelia, trained by Wesley Ward, in the King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) on day one while the unbeaten Caravaggio also has a King’s Stand entry but is more likely to contest the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f).
His Commonwealth Cup rivals are likely to include the exciting Ward-trained Bound For Nowhere, by the Newgate Farm shuttler The Factor (War Front), who has recorded two wins in the USA by an aggregate of 10.25 lengths.
Caravaggio resumed with a win, by four and three quarter lengths, from Psychedelic Funk (Choisir) in a 1200 metre Group Three at Naas on 21 May and we may get a further guide to that form, next Thursday, if Psychedelic Funk steps out at Leopardstown where he’s nominated.
I’m looking forward to some late nights from 20 June when the King’s Stand, St James’s Palace and the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) kick off the Group One action.
Blake Shinn, incidentally seconded to America by Wesley Ward, kicks off this weekend with nine rides at Arlington Park on Saturday and Sunday (Sunday and Monday morning our time). Eagle Spirit (Kitten’s Joy), on the first day, might be his best ride according to Alan Carasso from TDN.
QUEENSLAND DERBY DAY
The 2400 metres Group One for three-year-olds takes on a different look this year with the transfer to Doomben and the reduction to 2200 metres.
So, all precedents might be ‘out the window’ and it’s generally foolish to second guess trainers but the history of the race does point to the winner not having endured the stress of a previous Derby run in Sydney or Adelaide.
Thus I’m inclined to risk the two highest rated runners, Volatile Mix (Pentire) and Ruthann (Domesday) and expect Shocking Luck (Shocking) and Black On Gold (Sebring) to be the two sharp improvers with the return to firmer footing, away from the quicksand of Eagle Farm.
Opie Bosson, riding in great form and with renewed confidence following his return from Hong Kong, is aboard Shocking Luck which is one of several excellent prospects he has at the meeting and he might be the man if you fancy a jockey challenge bet.
He’s also aboard the flying filly Melody Belle (Commands) who is a deserved favorite for the J J Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) but not necessarily the best betting option. Bosson in the jockey challenge can be the insurance against me getting that wrong.
However, the very progressive Aloisia (Azamour) appeals at the odds. She was very good winning at Flemington at her Australian debut and the form line through Belle Du Nord (Reliable Man) says she’s not of the place taking on the more experienced Melody Belle.
The New Zealanders invariably snare plenty of the Queensland winter spoils and the evergreen Benzini (Tale Of The Cat) also appeals at a good each way price in the Brisbane Cup (Gr 2, 2200m). He’ll be peaking at his fourth run back and was, of course, anything but disgraced behind Satono Crown in last year’s Hong Kong Vase (Gr 1, 2400m).