Caravaggio the highlight of Aidan O’Brien four-timer
Caravaggio, a son of Scat Daddy lived up the hype in the opening two-year-old maiden, justifying 1/3 favouritism with the minimum of fuss under a patient and educational ride by Seamus Heffernan.
He quickened into the lead before the furlong-pole and ran on strongly to beat Lundy, from O’Brien’s Owning string, by a length and three-quarters.
Winning rider Heffernan commented: “Aidan said he was nice and it’s always nice when they come to the track and do it first time. He’s grand horse, a bit green, and he won well,” while Joseph O’Brien added: “He’s very fast and Dad thinks an awful lot of him.
“This was his first day away and his first time around a bend. Seamus was very happy with him. He’s a bit special, the real deal, a horse for Royal Ascot.”
Joseph O’Brien explained: “Dad is thinking about the Musidora (in York) or the Blue Wind (in Naas) for her,” after Seventh Heaven, twice-raced at two, justified 9/10 favouritism in the Light Up Your Night Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Galileo quickened well to see off debutante Heartful by three and a quarter lengths, completing a double for Seamus Heffernan.
Joseph added: “She’s a lovely filly and was a bit weak last year. Good ground is important to her and she’ll be better when she steps-up in trip. She could be an Oaks filly.”
O’Brien’s two later winners were partnered by his son Donnacha as Bravey justified 1/2 favouritism in the colts maiden before Owning inmate Stone Mountain dead-heated, with the Johnny Feane-trained Spruce Meadows, in the one-mile Fundraising Made Easy At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.
Runner-up on his only juvenile start, at Leopardstown, and an eye-catcher on his return at the Curragh, Bravery proved an emphatic, two and a quarter lengths winner over Mittersill.
Joseph commented: “He had a good run last autumn and a nice start back at the Curragh, when he was a bit keen and got tired in the bad ground. He’s a nice colt and will step-up in class. There’s a good chance he might take his chance in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.”
No joy for Ballydoyle in the seven-furlong Dundalk Stadium Race as 2/5 shot Sir Isaac Newton proved no match for the impressive winner, Yuften, trained by Johnny Murtagh and ridden to an emphatic victory by Connor King.
