Aidan O’Brien’s Caravaggio is set to be seen next in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 21st after cementing his position at the top of the juvenile tree with another imperious performance in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
Bringing a three-race unbeaten record into the first Group One of the season for two-year-olds, the son of Scat Daddy was the red-hot 1-8 favourite to make it four from four.
The Coventry Stakes winner made his move at the two-furlong pole and Séamus Heffernan never had to get too serious to beat stablemate Courage Under Fire by an easy four lengths.
Coral cut O’Brien’s star to 11-4 favourite from 3-1 for the Qipco 2000 Guineas. RaceBets make him the 5-2 market leader from 7-2.
Before that a clash with brilliant Queen Mary Stakes heroine Lady Aurelia could be on the cards in France.
O’Brien said: “He’s a very good horse and everything went 100 per cent. In his last piece of work he hit a top speed of 45 miles per hour – no horse in Ballydoyle has ever been able to do that.
“He’s very pacy and has a great mind. He’s so relaxed he could get further, but I’d say we’ll have a look at the Morny.
“He’s the fastest we have ever had and I’d not be in a rush to go over seven furlongs. He could always go for the Middle Park after the Morny.”
With Ryan Moore on the sidelines, Heffernan was riding Caravaggio for the first time since his debut at Dundalk in April.
Heffernan said: “He had plenty left today, he’s always shown a lot. He was fresh early on, so Aidan gave him a run at Dundalk just to take the freshness off him. We thought he was an Ascot horse and he’s never disappointed.
“I would say he can go all the way, yes.”
Air Force Blue’s disappointing campaign continued in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Phoenix Sprint Stakes .
The vibes were strong for last year’s champion juvenile, who flopped in the English and Irish Guineas before finishing 12th in the July Cup, and he went off the even-money favourite.
But he was slowly away and although he quickly made up ground to track the leaders, the response was minimal when Heffernan asked O’Brien’s charge for an effort and he trailed home last.
The Group Two prize went the way of Toscanini, who was always prominent in his bid to better last season’s second.
Michael Halford’s 5-1 chance was a willing partner for James Doyle and stuck his neck out to see off Eastern Impact by a length and a quarter.
Halford said: “He always had ability but only now has he fully grown up. He had his ground conditions today and that is his trip.”
