COVER Up will step up to Group 1 company after powering home in the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Sapphire Stakes on the Irish Oaks undercard.
Saturday’s Group 2 marked a first European stakes success for Simon and Ed Crisford’s six-year-old, who previously won two listed races and a Group 2 in Meydan. Following a break after his run in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, the Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman-owned gelding returned in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he simply ran into a wall of horses.
Jamie Spencer had set a blistering pace on Jakajaro in that Group 1 and led once again on Robert Cowell’s raider at the Curragh, while James Doyle positioned the aptly-named Cover Up towards the back of the 10-horse field. Quickening before the two-furlong pole, Cover Up hit top gear a furlong out and finished strongly to lead close home, asserting by three-parts of a length on the line.
Colin Keane finished second aboard David Loughnane’s 14/1 shot Partisan Hero, with another length back to the long-time leader Jakajaro in third. Rosy Affair (5/2f) completed a 1-2-3-4 for the British, 35 minutes after Michael and David Easterby’ Sondad took the Liverpool FC Foundation Scurry Handicap, with the John and Sean Quinn-trained Dark Thirty in second.
“He’s a really-really wonderful horse to have in the stable,” Ed Crisford said of the now 10-time winner. “He’s a high-quality sprinter, did well in Dubai. Ascot was the aim but he just sort of got no run really; ran into the back of horses.
“We thought this track would suit him well. I was a little bit worried because there was no rain and we always thought he liked to get his toe in a bit – he’s won on heavy and Meydan is so well-watered, but he did it very well in the end.”
Looking ahead
Crisford, who leaves for a solo training career in Dubai later in the season, said of their season so far: “We’ve done well. Dubai was great, we had a really good time out there and the last few weeks have been super and hopefully we can keep it going in the second half of the season.”
On his upcoming move to Dubai, Crisford continued: “It’s a huge opportunity for myself. I spoke to Dad at length about it and he just thought you can’t turn down a job like this.
“Dubai is a really great place; my wife loves it, I love it. To go out there and train for someone like Sheikh Ahmed [Al Maktoum], who’s been in the game for many, many years with some great horses is a huge opportunity.
The Nunthorpe Stakes is next on the agenda for Cover Up, with a return to the Curragh a possibility for the Flying Five Stakes. Stablemate and recent Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes winner Senorita Bonita will take on the colts in the Prix Morny, while the team’s unbeaten juvenile Flann Sunna is being aimed at the Richmond Stakes.