AN outstanding trailblazing effort from Caspian Prince saw the Mercury Stakes go for export for the third year in succession as the evergreen seven-year-old produced the performance of his life to score at listed level for the first time.
A tremendously speedy sort, Caspian Prince has been in excellent form this year as evidenced by a couple of recent conditions race triumphs to go with a success in the Epsom Dash during the summer. However, Roger Fell’s charge took his form to another level as he lowered the four year course record for five furlongs in some style. A seven-strong British raiding party gave this race a strong look and it demanded a quality display, which Caspian Prince duly produced.
To his considerable credit, the Declan McDonogh-ridden son of Dylan Thomas was able to sustain a blistering tempo at all stages. From just under two furlongs out it was clear that most of the field were in some trouble and when the strong-travelling Moviesta threw a strong challenge, Caspian Prince responded splendidly. He kept pulling out more to carry the day by a head with Medicean Man a further half-length back in third. The winner stopped the clock at 57.10s, which broke the course record by two-tenths of a second.
“He’s fast and very straightforward,” said McDonogh, who was wearing the colours of Stephen Louch. “Roger told me to let him roll along and, fair play to the horse, he saw out his race very well and kept finding for me. I think the plan is Dubai and hopefully I’ll keep the ride, he’d be a lovely horse to ride during the Carnival.”
support
The finish of the night came in the 70-100 rated seven-furlong handicap where a back-to-form Sevenleft rewarded some strong support throughout the day. The Sheila Lavery-trained gelding was as big as 16/1 in the morning but was eventually sent off a 13/2 shot as he looked to record his first win since landing the valuable auction race final at Naas just over a year ago. Gary Carroll had the Manduro gelding vying for the lead from over a furlong out and Sevenleft answered his every call to deny the English raider Big Time by a short-head.
“He hasn’t really had his ground since the spring,” stated the trainer, whose brother John owns the three-year-old. “He battled very well for Gary, who said that he will get a mile. There’s not much left for him this year so we’ll look towards mile races next year with him.”
He was initially slated to go on a winter break several weeks ago but the in-form To Choose (7/2) has certainly vindicated the decision to keep him going for a while longer. Fresh from a win here the previous week the Tom Gibney-trained seven-year-old shrugged aside a 5lb rise in the weights, under a well judged last to first ride from Colin Keane, in the mile and a half handicap. The Leonard Kinsella-owned and bred son of Choisir came between horses late on to defeat Poitin by half a length.
“He was going to be left off three weeks ago. After last week we saw this race coming up and it suited well and he was in great form so we let him take his chance. It’s great to see him finishing the year in such good form,” reported Gibney.
The highly proficient polytrack performer Hes Our Music (9/4) took advantage of a good opportunity to register his first success for 14 months in the 10-furlong claimer. Pat Flynn’s charge was the beneficiary of yet another Pat Smullen masterclass from the front and he held a good lead heading into the final two furlongs. The chasing pack were closing in as the line loomed but the seven-year-old, who was winning at the track for the sixth time, held off Elusive In Paris by half a length. The trainer’s wife Catherine owns the winner, while Dot Love claimed the fourth-placed Mandarin Monarch for €10,000.
“He loves this surface. I was going to get trapped quite wide going around the first turn so I decided to kick on with him and when he pricked his ears at the four pole I knew we were in business,” remarked Smullen.
Ice Cold In Alex (10/1), who showed definite promise in a couple of maidens early in the autumn, coped well with his first try at the minimum trip in the nursery. The Ken Condon-trained son of Olden Times was kept towards the rear by Shane Foley before charging home over the last furlong and a half to see off the always prominent Hueston by half a length.
“He’s a grand horse. He just got stuck in the testing ground at Listowel last month,” reflected Foley. “They went hard up front and it fell his way. He’ll be a nice fun horse for the winter here.”
A 16/1 surprise was lying in wait in the apprentice riders’ handicap as a back-to-form Against The Breeze struck for Niall Madden and his son Tom. The J.P. McManus-owned grey hadn’t been at her best on her last two runs but she was placed in a Curragh handicap last month. The Duke Of Marmalade filly came with a sustained effort over the last furlong to defeat Twistsandturns. “She did run well at the Curragh last month and that run gave her a chance. I’m delighted she’s won for me and we might go back jumping with her now,” declared Madden.
The Ballydoyle stablemates London and Schubert served up a cracking conclusion to the mile maiden before they came under the hammer at Newmarket on Monday. The Seamie Heffernan-ridden London (7/4) endured a last gasp defeat on his second start of the season at Cork six days previously but there was to be no repeat of that this time. On just the sixth outing of his career, he edged the last furlong duel by a nose.
ACTING STEWARDS:
P.N. Reynolds, L. McFerran, P. Caffrey, R. Hall, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
PURE ACTION (J.J. Feane): This Haatef colt ran a pleasing race on his debut to be beaten by just over two and a half lengths into fifth in the maiden won by London. He will find much easier races than this over the course of the winter and his turn won’t be long in coming.
Whip suspension
DENIS Linehan picked up a one-day whip suspension for his efforts on Lily’s Prince in the apprentice riders’ handicap.