It can be dangerous to write off a Classic trial just because it is won by an outsider, but the most telling verdict on the Craven Stakes here on Thursday seemed to be offered by Richard Hughes, after his front-running victory aboard the 14-1 chance Kool Kompany. Hughes feels that the French or German 2,000 Guineas might be a better target for Kool Kompany than the English equivalent here on 2 May, and had a simple response to the suggestion that he is more likely to be aboard the same stable’s Ivawood in the Guineas a fortnight on Saturday. “I will be,” he said. “No fear about that.
Kool Kompany is built like a rodeo bull and was a tough, willing and reliable juvenile last season, when he raced nine times at up to six furlongs and won twice at Group Two level. His victory here implied that he will carry those qualities over into his three-year-old campaign too, but it was a race that unfolded very much on his – and Hughes’s – terms.
There was little pace in the opening furlong and Hughes was able to grab a soft lead that was not seriously threatened in the closing stages, as the winner galloped on strongly to beat Nafaqa and Moheet, another stablemate at the Richard Hannon yard, who was sent off favourite at 2-1.
“He’s so tough and he always runs a good, solid race, even in the [Group One] Middle Park he ran a good race, he was right there behind them after a very long year,” Hughes said.
“I knew I was getting it easy enough but when you get rolling down here and into that dip, it’s very hard to peg them back, they have to really stop. You just have to get into the dip and hope they last out, and he killed them when he quickened.
“When you’ve experience, it’s huge. We were quite strong on Moheet as well, but he had no experience. You need to be able to change gear and go, not change legs and get organised, you don’t get time for that. He wears his heart on his sleeve, but whether he’s a Guineas horse, I don’t know. Preferably I’d go to France or Germany. You won’t get a soft lead in a Guineas, you just don’t.”
Kool Kompany is an outsider for the 2,000 Guineas at a top price of 33-1 with Coral, while Moheet and Nafaqa are both 40-1 chances for the colts’ Classic.
“He’s always been very tough,” Hannon said. “I wasn’t sure he’d stay a mile but he obviously does. He had his own way in front, and the third horse ran a good race but he’s just a bit immature. Both of them will go to the Guineas and will also see how the trials go [at Newbury] on Saturday [when Ivawood is due to run in the Greenham Stakes] and go from there.”
French Navy, the narrow runner-up in the Group Three Earl of Sefton Stakes 12 months ago, went one better on Thursday when he came with a sweeping run down the middle of the course to beat Arod and the Lincoln Handicap runner-up, Mondialiste.
Charlie Appleby, French Navy’s trainer, reported afterwards that Tryster, who showed exceptional finishing speed to win the Coral Easter Classic at Lingfield on Good Friday, will return to turf in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park on 28 May. “He’s in great nick,” Appleby said. “The plan is to go for the Brigadier Gerard Stakes as a first introduction to Group-class company on turf.”
Frankie Dettori can expect to spend less time travelling between Britain and France following confirmation that Gregory Benoist has been signed to ride as principal jockey in France to Al Shaqab Racing, Dettori’s main employer. However, Thierry Jarnet will retain the ride on Al Shaqab’s outstanding mare Treve, the winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the last two seasons.
Tony McCoy was out of luck on his final day as a jockey at Cheltenham on Thursday, and is now expected to ride only at Ayr on Friday and Saturday and then Sandown’s final meeting of the season on 25 April before heading into retirement. McCoy’s final ride at the home of jumps racing was aboard Jonjo O’Neill’s Milan Bound in a handicap hurdle, but he faded into seventh place after racing in midfield for most of the race.
