Break On The Cards For Cracksman

Following two narrow Derby defeats connections of Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) feel their colt deserves a break before going on to better things in the autumn. Anthony Oppenheimer's homebred was beaten just a neck by Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby last Saturday and the owner reflected, “I was thrilled with how he ran and I thought he was ridden extremely well. Pat [Smullen] said the horse has a lot of ability and he feels he'll be twice the horse next year or even later this year. He said he still felt a little bit immature and he didn't want to push him too much too early. He started his run late and was swallowing them up at the finish.” On short term plans Oppenheimer added, “He's come out of the race well and has eaten up and everything, but we might just give him some time and let him develop. He's now had three runs as a three-year-old and two of them have been in Derbies, so now might be the time to give him a chance to develop.” Oppenheimer's brilliant Derby winner of 2015 Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) retired as a 3-year-old but it appears Cracksman will be given the opportunity to race on and fulfill his potential as an older horse. “There are no races planned yet, but I'm excited to see what he can do later in the season and as a four-year-old.”