RACING: FRANKEL'S ROYAL Lodge demolition at Ascot on Saturday may have catapulted him into red-hot favouritism for next year's classics but Casamento's Juddmonte Beresford Stakes success at the Curragh yesterday indicated he remains a colt of considerable potential himself.
A 4 to 6 favourite on the back of his narrow National Stakes defeat to Pathfork earlier in the month, the Sheikh Mohammed-owned colt managed to win by four lengths while giving the impression there was plenty still left in the tank.
However, what energy he did use was enough to provide trainer Michael Halford with the most important success of his career and provoked Ladbrokes into cutting Casamento’s 2,000 Guineas price to 16 to 1. Maybe most importantly of all, there had been enough to provide new jockey Pat Smullen with a very positive first impression.
“I like him a lot. It was important to get him to settle and he did that. But then he got too relaxed and I had to stoke him up. That meant he might not have been as impressive as some might have hoped, but he was quite raw in front and the ability is there,” said Smullen.
The season’s leading rider was a Guineas winner himself on Refuse To Bend in 2003 and although this was no annihilation a la Frankel, it came in a Group Two that has a much better recent record in throwing up future champions such as Sea The Stars and Azamour. For Halford, who also scored yesterday with Hujaylea, the performance was merely proof that his high opinion of the horse is justified and he was suitably grateful to the Sheikh Mohammed team for the opportunity to train the son of Shamardal.
In terms of next year’s classics though, the spectre of a transfer to Godolphin still hangs over Casamento and asked how far the horse might stay next year, Halford’s jokey response contained more than a little feeling: “I hope he stays in Kildare!” He added: “Nothing has been discussed about that. The horse was more relaxed today and he did everything right on ground that wasn’t great. I would say he will stay at least another two furlongs.”
Halford has tasted Grade One success over jumps in the past but this was his first Group Two on the level.
David Wachman knows what it is like to strike at Group One level with juveniles but his default position when it comes to two-year- olds is caution. But even he was moved to describe Chrysanthemum as one to look forward to for 2011 after she kept her unbeaten record with a head success in the Group Three CL Weld Park Stakes. A 25 to 1 winner of a Listed race on her debut a fortnight ago, Chrysanthemum made a decisive challenge between Bible Belt and the favourite Wild Wind in the closing stages to score under Wayne Lordan.
“She’s still quite green and raw and there should be plenty of improvement to come,” Wachman said. “She’s confirmed the promise of her first run and is one to look forward to for next year.”
Wachman was maintaining a good recent run of form that had earlier seen the Co Tipperary-based trainer win the six-furlong maiden with the 16 to 1-shot Stage Master.
