Captains splashes to Super Auction success
David Wachman’s colt, a son of Choisir, pipped British raider Tipping Over (Chris Hayes), which was receiving 12lb., by a short-head in atrocious ground conditions, after torrential rain throughout the day. Alterations were made to the track, causing a substantial delay to the later races.
An uneasy 7/4 favourite, Three Sea Captains appeared to be struggling early in the straight but dispelled any fears about his stamina as he knuckled down well in the closing stages to triumph by a short-head, with the leading duo stretching over four lengths clear of the third, The Ticket Man.
Wachman commented: “He’s a good horse and needed to be tough out there. He was drawn wide and Wayne decided to race wide. It was hard work, but he deserved it. I’m not sure where he’ll go next. But he has a number of entries in good races.”
Three Sea Captains was the second leg of a two-year-old double for Wachman, initiated in the opener, not by form-horse and favourite Slope (Wayne Lordan), but by the Billy Lee-ridden debutante Gift From Heaven, an Excellent Art filly which came home strongly to deny the flattering favourite.
“She has always shown plenty at home, but probably didn’t learn much today, because they only went a hack canter,” said Wachman, “We’ll find a stakes race for her and might have to travel.”
In the handicap action, One Cool Shabra continued Oliver Brady’s rich vein of form when making all under Ben Curtis to foil Admiral Barry in the Tattersalls Ireland November Yearling Sale Handicap.
Champion apprentice elect Ronan Whelan was again seen to good effect when the Paul Deegan-trained Fromajacktoaking followed-up a recent Down Royal success in the Tote Sports Lounge Nursery.
Deegan nominated the Birdcatcher in Naas next month as a likely target for the Baltic King colt which gave Whelan his twenty-sixth success of the season.
