Casamento win a big moment for Michael Halford in Beresford Stakes
He may be no Frankel, but Casamento gave trainer Michael Halford his biggest winner on the Flat of his career when he won the Group Two Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh.
Described by his trainer Michael Halford as “the best horse I’ve had, by a long way” Casamento also proved that he is one of the best two-year-old colts in Ireland with this four-length victory, which vindicated Halford’s decision to supplement for the race.
The Beresford has been won by colts of the calibre of Alamshar, Azamour, Sea The Stars and St Nicholas Abbey in the last 10 years. Whether Casamento will shape up to that level next season is of course open to question but he is improving. Having given Pathfork a race when beaten a head in the National Stakes two weeks ago, Casamento paid Jessica Harrington’s colt a compliment here.
Pat Smullen (pictured) was having to restrain Casamento from the stalls and seemed happy when Robin Hood gave him a lead into the home straight. Smullen had probably got the settling tactics too good because he then had to resort the whip to get Casamento to take the lead with a furlong-and-a-half to run but he then pulled clear of Mawaakef to make Smullen happy enough on his first ride on the horse.
“He’s a nice horse this fellow. He was a little bit aggressive out of the gates and he did the same in the National Stakes. But when Seamus [Heffernan riding Robin Hood] went it was most important that I got him back and drop the bridle. He did that, which was good for the future, and as a result he got very relaxed and I had to stoke him up to go and win. He won with plenty in hand,” Smullen said.
“He’s an immature horse still mentally and he’ll improve over the winter, and he just has the makings of a very good horse. I’d love to keep the association with this horse.”
Halford would be equally happy to maintain the association with Casamento but, as the owner is Sheikh Mohammed, the chance of a switch to the Godolphin stable is one that Halford may have to accept. But, for now, he was savouring a victory that confirms him as one of the upwardly moving Flat trainers in Ireland. ““He’s very laid back at home. He did the one bit of work and so we decided to let him take his chance,” Halford said.
“We were delighted with him today, everything went really well. He settled well in behind Robin Hood and Pat said when he picked him up he picked up well, just idled a little bit in front. It’s a great race, some wonderful horses have won it, and if he goes on to be anything like them we’ll be very happy.”
Chrysanthemum made it two wins from as many starts in the Group Three CL Weld Park Stakes.
Juliet Capulet gave the rest of the field something to aim at until she began to flag three furlongs out and Katla led briefly but it was left to Bible Belt, Wild Wind and Chrysanthemum to fight out the finish, with Chrysanthemum finding plenty for Wayne Lordan to beat Wild Wind by a head, with Bible Belt the same distance away in third.
Having won her maiden at the Currgah over a mile two weeks ago, Chrysanthemum vindicated the decision of her trainer, David Wachman, to drop her by a furlong although she looks more likely to be an Oaks filly next season.
The Classics are the main objective of the Aidan O’Brien yard but the major handicaps are not forgotten and Bright Horizon, ridden by Colm O'Donoghue, was the runaway winner of the Hacketts Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch.
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