Monday’s Racing Chatter – Aidan Looks To Ascot

Caravaggio Aimed At The Commonwealth Cup

Aidan O’Brien was full of praise for Caravaggio, after his inmate won emphatically at Naas. The trainer is now looking to Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup.

“He’s an unbelievably quick horse. We said that we would come here and if everything went well we would go to Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup.

“I’ve never seen a quicker horse and that’s why we went this way with him. He’s showed nothing to say he wouldn’t get a mile.

“We worked him seven furlongs and the petrol gauge never shifted, but I was afraid that he was so quick that it would be the wrong thing to do.

“We could train him for a mile and go back, but we didn’t want to lose the brilliance.

“He was carrying plenty and was a good bit above what he was last year. A long way above. You couldn’t be happier.”

Thunder To Reign, At Epsom?

Dubai Thunder, who was unraced as a 2-year-old, could well feature in this year’s Epsom Derby. Saeed bin Suroor has been very patient with the Dubawi colt and feels that his class is beginning to shine through.

“He always works well in the morning and he always shows some class. Last year he was very backwards.

“You couldn’t run him last year. It was only in October time that he started to show something. I didn’t want to push him, it would have been the wrong time to do that.

“I have looked after him over the winter. He has come back and the way he won on Friday was good.

“We will talk to Sheikh Mohammed and he will make the decision. I want to check the horse next week, but the good thing is that he is in the Derby.

“He needs good ground or good to soft. Friday it was soft and he handled that well. He showed that class was there and he has got a good engine. Yes, of course I would like to take him to Epsom.

“We’ve got these horses running in Group races and possibly the Derby that we have not had for three years.

“This year it has changed. We have these horses that have come back from last year and improved physically and mentally and have shown some class in their races. It is making things exciting.”

Mosse Can Rise To The Challenge, At Phoenix

The deal that saw Gerald Mosse sign-up to be a retained rider with Phoenix Thoroughbreds looks to be popular with both parties. Mosse is clearly looking forward to coming on-board.

“I am very pleased and grateful to have the opportunity to become part of the Phoenix Thoroughbreds team.

“It is a very exciting project and one that I will be very committed to. We have bought some very nice-looking individuals at the sales during the spring and I look forward to getting know the horses over the coming months.

“And, of course, I hope that this season and beyond that I can play a part in delivering success to Phoenix, both with the work I will put in with the horses at home and on the racecourse.”

Kerri Radcliffe, racing advisor to Phoenix, sounded equally pleased.

“We are so fortunate to have Gerald Mosse joining us. He is a top-class rider and his skills on the racecourse and also feedback from the gallops will be invaluable to Phoenix Thoroughbreds.

“He has already been a massive help over the last couple of days, riding out in Newmarket, and I look forward to working closely with him in the future.”

Connections Are Convinced That Persuasive Is Progressing

Persuasive looks very likely to race in the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes, at the Curragh on Saturday. She is already a G3 winner and Chris Richardson, who is Cheveley Park Stud’s racing manager says that connections are pleased with her progress this year.

“I think she will probably go to Ireland for the Ridgewood Pearl (Lanwades Stud Stakes). That was the plan.

“She has wintered well and has now got terrific hind-quarters – let’s hope there is plenty of speed coming from them.

“We are very happy with her and she is good with herself. I watched her work and she moved very well.”