Septimus continues O’Brien’s domination of big staying races
The Derrick Smith-owned four-year-old was always travelling in second gear under Johnny Murtagh and cruised to the front just over two furlongs from home in the two-and-a-quarter-mile contest.
With doubts over his stamina having been cast aside previously at York, the 11-10 favourite kept on impressively to account for Geordieland by a yawning five lengths, taking just under two seconds off the course best in the process.
The son of Sadler’s Wells has now won three of his four starts since returning from an injury picked up in last year’s Derby.
Smith said of the 2006 Dante winner: “He was very good today on ground that he went on, but he would be better with more cut.
“Johnny was very impressed and said there were no worried moments.
“We always thought he was good and he was nearly favourite for the Derby, but he wasn’t quite right on Derby day and he appears to have come back to his Dante form.
“We really do leave plans to Aidan. The Melbourne Cup would be a possibility, but we always thought the ground would be a problem, and it would be a long way to go if the ground comes up wrong.
“There is always the race (Cadran) in France on Arc weekend too.”
He added: “It is great to see a horse win in my colours, but I would say the biggest thrill of the year was seeing Rags To Riches win the Belmont Stakes in New York. It was the first time my grandchildren came racing and they think that happens all the time!”
Murtagh had been aboard the winner in the Lonsdale Cup last month and he could barely conceal his admiration for O’Brien’s charge.
He said: “I think he is getting more mature and tightening up, and Aidan said he would handle the ground a bit better as he got older.
“He really strode out well and they went a good pace. After a mile and a quarter they really stepped on the pace, so I gave him a breather and let him fill his lungs, and when I asked him to quicken at the two he really strode out well.
“He is a very, very good stayer, and he has class too. He is not one of these plodders, and over a trip he has a turn of foot.
“He’s a very progressive horse and has really improved. He showed he has no problem with the trip. I’ve never ridden his stablemate Yeats so I don’t know how good he is, but this one is a very good stayer and it will take some horse to beat him.”
