Casamento makes headlines in Racing Post Trophy
Irish trainer Michael Halford savoured the biggest moment of his career knowing that his horse who had provided his first Group One winner had run his last race for him.
Casamento led a clean sweep of Irish-trained runners in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster but will be running for a new trainer next season.
The colt was running in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, who sent two horses to Halford for this season, but he will be switched to the Godolphin for next season. Frankie Dettori got the chance for an early test of the colt and was clearly happy enough with what he found.
There was little early pace as most of the field tried to seek cover behind Dubawi Gold, which resulted in a few barging matches. But Dettori has Casamento just where he wanted him, tracking the leader and in position to get first run. He took the opportunity just before the two-furlong pole, as Casamento eased upsides Dubawi Gold.
It was beginning to look like a replay of the victory of St Nicholas Abbey 12 months previously but Casemento had to work a bit harder than that. As he hit the front he shifted right, as Dettori drew his whip to draw matters to a conclusion.
Either side of him the Aidan O’Brien-trained runners, Seville and Master of Hounds, were coming at him but Casemento found more in the final furlong to win by the three-quarters of a length and two lengths. After the disappointment of Saamidd’s tame performance in last weekend’s Dewhurst Stakes, the prospect of having the ride on this colt for next year’s Classics was clearly warming Dettori, even through a chill October day. The Italian, who has ridden 12 winners in the last 14 days, said: “I’m hot now. Great performance – delighted for Sheikh Mohammed and Mick Haford, for who I believe it is a first Group One.”
Even before Dettori had made it back to the winner’s enclosure the debate over which Classic would be the one for this son of Shamardal would be running in next season. The sire might seem to point more towards the 2000 Guineas by the dam-side pedigree suggests that the 12 furlongs of the Derby might not be out of reach. “I think he’s more of a Derby horse but we’ll see.”
Halford will see the action unfold from the sidelines but has not complaints because he knew the score from the day a fax arrived from the sheikh office offering the chance to train for one of the world’s leading owners, and he has no regrets. “It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said. “He was idling a bit in front, I think he was looking for a bit of company. Frankie said he was always happy on him – he was always finding every time the horse came [Seville] came near him. He’s a big, relaxed horse and he only does what he has to do.”
The trainer has the same attitude about loading the horse up for the trip to Dubai. “There was never any problem with that. It was always going to be the case, we were just so lucky to get him. I’m so grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and his team for sending him to us in the first place.”
If the horse was still to be in place in Halford’s yard he might be tempted to take the battle to Frankel in the Guineas at Newmarket next spring. “Personally I always thought might have enough speed for a Guineas. He stays but he’s not slow either.”
The run of Seville meant that O’Brien had finished second in successive British Group One juvenile races – following on from Roderic O’Connor in the Dewhurst – but had not had a two-year-old winner in this country in 2010 from 31 starters. But it was worse for the British-trained starters, with Ed Dunlop’s Native Khan finishing best in fourth.
Brian Meehan had been hoping for a big run from Titus Mills, but he ran a disappointing last of the 10 runners. However, there were better signs from his other runners as Earl of Leitrim, ridden Shane Kelly, won the Listed TheBettingSite.com Doncaster Stakes and Inler, who had been a Guineas prospect six months ago, won the Barry Hills Biography Conditions Stakes as the second half of a double for Kieren Fallon.
Those who prefer omens to the form book when it comes to trying to find winners might well have latched on to Harry Patch for the Betfair SP Handicap.
The horse was named after the last-surviving British serviceman from the First World War and was running as the British Legion was launching its annual Poppy appeal. But those who play their Trival Pursuit with the hope that the next question is about golf would have been thinking along the same lines with Hoof It. The horse is part-owned by world No.2 Lee Westwood – currently off the golf course with an injury - who was on track with his six-year-old daughter, Poppy.
None of which appeared to be of much consequence with a quarter-mile to run as neither horse was that close to the lead. But then Fallon got to work and Hoof It lived up to his name, cutting through horses to collar Noble Storm in the last hundred yards to win by a neck.
“It’s a toss-up which is the bigger thrill,” Westwood said. “Watching that or playing in the Ryder Cup.”
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