By Sean Cronin
Things may be getting so easy for Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) that he is taking it upon himself to make it more exciting and he overcame some self-made adversity on Friday to gain a last-gasp success in the G1 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom. Never in his smooth rhythm, Anthony Oppenheimer's G1 Champion S. and G1 Prix Ganay winner was several lengths off the pace set by Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) and being niggled at by Frankie Dettori despite his odds of 2-7. Taking all of the straight to get to that surprise package, the homebred managed it once he was switched to the stand's rail in the final yards. At the line, there was a head between them as they pulled clear of Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) in third. “He was a bit sleepy today and I couldn't really lay up,” Dettori explained. “He doesn't really enjoy running downhill and I wanted to close the gap but couldn't. We had to work for this one, but he's a better horse than he showed today and his class showed through. Any other horse would have downed tools.” John Gosden added, “It's hard to pick them up when they are that far ahead on this ground and he was not in love with the track. He showed his class to get there in the end and we'll look at Royal Ascot now [for the G1 Prince of Wales's S.].”
CRACKSMAN (GB), 126, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Rhadegunda (GB) (SW-Fr), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: St Radegund (GB), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: On the House, by Be My Guest
O-Anthony Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £238,182. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr & G1SP-Ire, 9-7-1-1, £1,894,584. *1/2 to Fantastic Moon (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), GSW-Eng.
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