Caravaggio (left) beats Alphabet© Photo Healy Racing
Caravaggio showed a devastating turn of foot to get back to winning ways in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five at the Curragh this afternoon.
Ryan Moore restrained the 9/10 favourite after he broke sharply in the five furlong contest and he was niggling along at half-way.
The son of Scat Daddy found another gear inside the final furlong as he made up ground in style to grab stable-mate Alphabet in the closing stages for a length success.
Aidan O'Brien was delighted to see his star sprinter back in the winners enclosure after a disappointing effort in France last month:-
“We wanted to come back here and get the confidence back. He did everything perfect and Ryan gave him a lovely ride.
“The lads had him lovely and settled at home in the stalls and were very happy with him. We're delighted to have him back.
“We think he's a great horse. He's relaxed, he quickens, he travels.
“Obviously he's out of a Holy Bull mare so there is a lot of dirt in his pedigree but we never thought anything really bothered him ground wise.
“He has a big engine and for a sprinter he's 100 percent clean winded. He's very easy to get fit and he's a great mover. He has a big heart and lungs I'd say.
“We put the wrong shoes on him the last day and he had no traction in Deauville. He just kept swapping and changing and he just never got into any kind of a gear. It was liking driving a car with the clutch slipping.
“We were a little bit worried as he came back very sore after the last time and when they come back sore you are always worried the next time.
“I was delighted that he did that and he behaved great. It was a very good performance in heavy ground.
“He wasn't slow (from the stalls) today and out right with them. He was quick if everything.
“He has all the options. He obviously has the sprint in Ascot and also American. We were talking about Australia earlier in the year but it might be too much as we had to do a little bit with him the last two weeks to get him here and get everything working.
“We'll see but the lads will decide that themselves.”
