Curtain firmly in Derby picture
Luca Cumani has high hopes of winning the Vodafone Derby for a third time after Curtain Call staked his claim with a convincing victory in the intercasino.co.uk Conditions Stakes at Nottingham.
The Newmarket-based Italian took the premier Classic with Kahyasi in 1988 and High-Rise 10 years later.
Now Curtain Call, having his first race for Cumani, was cut to 7-1 second-favourite with William Hill and Paddy Power for Epsom after easily disposing of his two rivals.
Sweeping into the lead over a furlong out under a confident Jamie Spencer, the Sadler’s Wells colt went on to win by six lengths from Drill Sergeant to give Cumani his first success of the year.
“He’s a very relaxed horse. He was in behind the two horses like in a decent bit of work. The moment Jamie brought him out and showed him daylight the turbo kicked in and there he was on the bridle,” said Cumani.
“He is basically a mile-and-a-half horse. His next race will be the Lingfield Derby Trial and then we will see from there.”
Curtain Call only joined Cumani’s Newmarket stable from Jessica Harrington’s Irish yard in December.
“I am very happy with what he has done over the winter. He’s grown, he has put weight on and has looked stronger. He’s a nice horse,” he added.
“If you wanted to write a Derby pedigree you couldn’t have one as good as that. He’s a very good looking horse, a very well-balanced horse. He has a great brain as well which is important and a good attitude.
“You could see in the paddock he still had a bit of a belly so there’s a bit left there to work on and he will improve.”
Spencer completed a short-priced double when getting up close home on Chief Editor in the Play Blackjack At intercasino.co.uk Handicap.
The 5-4 favourite won going away by three-quarters of a length from Canadian Danehill.
Trainer Mark Wallace said: “He did it grand, but he wants soft ground so we might give him a break in the summer.
“He’s a fair horse and I was absolutely mortified when he got beat at Doncaster. He hit the front two and a half out and idled. Jamie got there a little bit later today.”
