Precious win for Rite Of Passage in Gold Cup
There may be no one route to winning the Gold Cup but Dermot Weld found one of the more unusual navigations to the prize.
Two years ago Rite Of Passage was winning a bumper at the Galway Fesitval and he was last seen finishing third in a hurdle race at the Cheltenham Festival but he provided Weld a first win in the showpiece race of Royal Ascot after a couple of near misses before.
The Gold Cup, which dates back to 1807, is the oldest race at the meeting, but age has not wearied its appeal and this year’s renewal only reaffirmed its place in the grand scheme of things.
A field of 12 set out for the prestige stayers’ race and Akmal had his usual place at the head of the field but was not making it a particularly searching pace, with Johnny Murtagh positioning Age Of Aquarius in second alongside Rite Of Passage with Darley Sun just behind.
Richard Hills was trying to conserve Akmal’s stamina reserves but started to turn the s***w, picking the pace up with each furlong from halfway and the race was set in earnest from seven furlongs out.
Half a mile out Murtagh pushed Age Of Aquarius into the lead and pulled three lengths clear which put paid to the chances of several, including Manifest, but Rite Of Passage, Bannaby, Purple Moon and Ask were still trying to make a race of it.
By the home turn it was a two-horse race. Just as with Yeats 12 months ago, Murtagh hit the home straight in the lead but this time he was not accorded an easy run-in. Pat Smullen sent Rite Of Passage (pictured right) in pursuit and joined the leader at the furlong marker. From there it was a simple, gritty battle of attrition, with Rite Of Passage inching clear to win by a neck, in a new course record, with Purple Moon six lengths away in third.
Not bad for a horse whose last run on the Flat was winning last year’s Irish November Handicap off a handicap mark of just 88 – he must have been one of the biggest certainties ever to look through a bridle.
Weld, who had saddled both Vintage Crop (1994) and Vinnie Roe (2002) to finish runner-up in this race, had planned for this race long before Rite Of Passage had finished third to Peddlers Cross in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to win. It’s one of the great races of the world. I was second with Vinnie Roe and Vintage Crop, my two previous runners, and I just thought third time lucky," Weld said. “And, although there were some very good horses in this year’s Gold Cup, I just thought he had an outstanding chance.
“He did it well and I love to train horses over a number of years, that’s one of the joys of training. I also love training stayers. We probably picked the wrong race at Cheltenham, he ran a good race and it was just too far for him and he probably would have won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over two miles. He’s a super, athletic horse and great jumper.
“We had a good draw but I always leave it to Pat. He’s a world-class rider and I totally left the decision to Pat how he’d ride the horse.”
For Smullen it was a vindication in his belief in the horse’s quality at this level. “I was very confident the horse would stay and he’s got a bit of speed as well. I got a lovely position just behind the leaders and saved ground the whole way around. I got the gap when I needed it on the turn and he quickened up like a very good horse that we know he is.”
Which was glossing over the fierce battle that Rite Of Passage had to win over Age Of Aquarius and Murtagh. “He’s not an easy man to get into a battle with so it’s added pleasure when you beat him in a finish too. A tremendous race, a great spectacle and it’s just great that we came out on top of it.”
The was a sting in the victory for Smullen who received a four-day suspension after he was adjudged to have pushed his way out of a pocket turning for home, causing interference to fifth-placed Ask and Akmal. Smullen was suspended on July 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th.
Weld is still the only European trainer to have won the Melbourne Cup - Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002) – and that race is also in his mind again.”We’ve two candidates for Melbourne as we also have Profound Beauty for it and we will have to see what the handicapper does. The first Tuesday in November is a long way away.”
The next winner at Royal Ascot seems a long way away for Aidan O’Brien but Age Of Aquarius was valiant in defeat for Murtagh - who also received a three-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency. “It was a really, really top-class race,” Murtagh said. “They went a h**l of a gallop and my lad stayed well. He loved the fast ground and I thought he had it won turning for home, but just caught in the last 60 yards. He’s a very brave horse and I’m sick.”
A brave horse who simply had his route blocked by an even braver one.
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