Far East beckons for Cucaracha
Connections of La Cucaracha have their sights set on a trip to the Far East with the rapidly-improving filly after she sprinted to success in the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The Barry Hills-trained 7-1 chance burst through down the centre of the track and kept on bravely to deny the fast-finishing The Tatling by a head, with Majestic Missile a further length away in third.
Chineur was switched to the far rail by Christophe Lemaire after his slow start and although he was flying at the finish, he had a near-impossible task to make up the lost ground.
La Cucaracha – Spanish for ’the cockroach’ and the title of a popular Mexican song – may now be aimed at the valuable Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin in December, where conditions are almost certain to suit her preference for a fast surface.
“We have always thought a lot of her,” said the successful trainer. “When she went to Newbury for her second race as a two-year-old, Richard Hannon said to me in the winner’s enclosure ‘She’s a three-year-old!’ and he was right, she was so mature she did look like one.
“Then she got a few little problems and things went wrong but I was hopeful we could get her back to her best this season.
“She’s good and she’ll get better. She likes it quick, there’s no doubt about that. She doesn’t have to have it fast but it suits her and inconveniences some of the others.
“There is Haydock to consider but we’ll have to see how the ground is. The race I have got in mind is the Hong Kong Sprint if we get an invitation. She’s got the speed for it and the ground ought to suit her too.”
Local man Guy Reed was ending a 37-year wait for Group One glory.
He has long been a supporter of the Hills stable, along with several Yorkshire yards and this victory was a deserved reward for one of the sport’s most dedicated owner-breeders.
“This is my first Group One since I started in 1968 so that was a long time ago,” he said.
“She had worked like a dream at home and ran like a dream today – it is a dream. I backed her early doors at 33-1 and my bookmaker will be listening to me.”
Milton Bradley, trainer of The Tatling, was left frustrated after seeing his charge beaten by a narrow margin for a second successive year.
He said: “We would have got her in two more strides. The other horse got first run and we just had a shade of traffic problems.
“I’m very pleased but frustrated. I’m very proud of the horse. He’s the most consistent sprinter in the country. He may go to Ireland now for the Flying Five.”
But Hong Kong will not be the agenda with Bradley of the opinion the gelding’s long-distance trip for the race last year left its scars for months afterwards.
William Haggas, trainer of Majestic Missile, was not too disappointed at missing out given the winning connections.
“I’m so pleased for Guy Reed – it was a perfect result for him,” he said.
“He’s given his all to this game and to win a prestigious race at his favourite meeting is fantastic. I’m thrilled to bits with my horse. He’s run good races all year but we’ve had a few problems with him so it was a creditable effort.
“He’s in the Flying Five on September 4 and there’s also the Scarbrough Stakes (at Doncaster on September 8).”
The stewards looked into interference between the runner-up and third in the closing strides, but after hearing from The Tatling’s rider Ryan Moore that his saddle had slipped and he was unable to keep his mount straight, they took no further action.
