By Tom Frary
Off since winning the G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh in August, Caravaggio returned with a vengeance to issue a shot across the bows of his potential opponents in the June 23 G1 Commonwealth Cup. Proven on ground with some cut in, having overcome those conditions to win the Listed Marble Hill S. at The Curragh last May and G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot in June, the grey sat fifth early with Ryan Moore wearing an air of understandable confidence. Once shaken up, he was able to gain the lead without a major effort with a furlong remaining and draw away to beat Psychedelic Funk by the same margin that he had at last year's Royal meeting. “He was always an unbelievably quick horse and although he never showed anything at home that said he wouldn't stay a mile, we were afraid that if we trained him for it he might lose some of his brilliance,” Aidan O'Brien said. “I'm delighted that's the route the lads decided to go, as we have never had a quicker one. His raw power is incredible, really. He was just ready to start today and we were a little bit worried, as he was a good bit above what he was last year [in weight]. He could go as short in trip as is possible, but we'll go to the Commonwealth now.”
Caravaggio is a half-brother to the GII Gallant Bloom H. winner My Jen who descends from the stakes-winning and GII Black Helen H. runner-up Silver in Flight, who in turn is the second dam of the GIII Lexington S. and GIII Lawrence Realization H. winner and GI Secretariat S. third Sharp Performance (Kris S.). Silver In Flight's stakes-winning half-sister Stark Winter (Graustark) is the dam of the four-times grade I-winning sire Bien Bien and the GIII Long Branch S. and GIII Royal Palm H.-winning sire Dr. Schwartzman. This is also the family of the GI Donn H. winner Spring At Last and the GI Las Virgenes S. heroine Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band), who was responsible for this stable's group performers by Galileo (Ire), Foundry (Ire) and Housesofparliament (Ire), the latter of which was third in last year's G1 St Leger. Mekko Hokte also has a yearling full-sister to Caravaggio and a 2017 colt by American Pharoah.
Sunday, Naas, Ireland
EMS COPIERS LACKEN S.-G3, €65,000, NAA, 5-21, 3yo, 6fT, 1:12.33,.
1–CARAVAGGIO, 132, c, 3, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Mekko Hokte (SW-US), by Holy Bull
2nd Dam: Aerosilver, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: Silver in Flight, by Silver Series
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Windmill Manor Farms Inc & Petaluma Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €38,350. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire & GSW-Eng, 5-5-0-0, $371,835. *1/2 to My Jen (Fusaichi Pegasus), GSW-US, $203,000.[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Psychedelic Funk (GB), 129, c, 3, Choisir (Aus)–Parabola (GB), by Galileo (Ire). (13,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; £30,000 Ylg '15 DNPRM). O-Sean Jones; B-Mrs J Imray (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €13,000.
3–Mr Scarlet (GB), 129, g, 3, Dandy Man (Ire)–Scarlet Buttons (Ire), by Marju (Ire). (€8,000 Ylg '15 GOFFEB; €72,000 Ylg '15 TISEP). O-John Lavery; B-Heather Raw (GB); T-Sheila Lavery. €6,500.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 0.50, 10.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Gorane (Ire), Khukri (Ire), Pedestal (Ire), Mister Trader (GB). Scratched: Tinder (Ire), Virtudes (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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