This season has so far been a story of a work in progress as far as Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is concerned and Anthony Oppenheimer's latest pride and joy is the one with a target on his back in Wednesday's G2 Betway Great Voltigeur S. at York. According to connections, this is where the homebred's season will end after tough assignments when third in the June 4 G1 Epsom Derby and second in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh four weeks later. Ruled out of the G1 St Leger and not considered an Arc prospect by trainer John Gosden, he has been trained for this as a specific target before being wrapped up for a potentially barnstorming 4-year-old campaign in 2018.
“He's had a good rest and has been going very well at home,” said Oppenheimer. “The ground is reasonable so all looks good. It really is all about next year with him, though, that is what the jockeys who ride him are telling us. Pat Smullen got off him after the Irish Derby and said if we looked after him for the rest of this year he'd be some prospect next season, so that is what we are doing. We'll see how he gets on here but he's not in the St Leger, anyway. What we're hoping is that next season he'll be in races like the King George and maybe at this meeting over 10 furlongs. He's a very short price and when there are all those Coolmore horses you never know how the race will be run, but he's very well. He just needs to fill out, and when he does you'll see the real Cracksman.”
Frankel has had a particularly profitable period of late and he is responsible for half of the field including the improving Sir Michael Stoute-trained Juddmonte homebred Mirage Dancer (GB). The son of Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert) has shaped like a colt going places and his latest third in Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court S. over 10 furlongs June 22 suggests he will get this trip.
“We're just leaving nice gaps between his races. He is progressive,” Stoute said before appearing to rule out a subsequent tilt at the St Leger. “We like the horse and he keeps improving. This would be as far as he would ever want to go.”
As usual, Aidan O'Brien is numerically strong despite the withdrawal of the Irish Derby hero Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and he has three sons of Galileo in Venice Beach (Ire), Spanish Steps (Ire) and Douglas Macarthur (Ire). The former was third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris while Spanish Steps was ninth at Saint-Cloud July 14 before the latter took the G3 Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown Aug. 10.
“Venice Beach has been in good form since France and we think–and hope–the track will suit him well. He is in good order as well. We think he is a horse who will progress through the whole year and look forward to him next year.”
Douglas Macarthur may be a big price in the betting, but he is a 1.25million 'TDN Rising Star' who beat Capri in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown May 7. Sporting a hood for the first time and paired with Wayne Lordan, he could be a major player here.
“We're looking forward to seeing Douglas Macarthur run,” O'Brien added. “We think he gets a mile and a half well–and might even get further. But he is in very good form and we're very happy with him. He had a break after his last run and is just ready to start back again.”
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