Saturday's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup demolition job by Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) proved just what Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) had to deal with in the G1 July Cup and Ballydoyle's great sprinting hope now has to get up off the canvas in Sunday's G2 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five at The Curragh, a “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Division at Del Mar in November. The world looked at his feet as he beat Clive Cox's sensation in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup June 23, but a subsequent fourth in the July 15 Newmarket feature and sixth in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 6 have tarnished the grey's previously exalted reputation. Aidan O'Brien, who brought the similar campaigner One Cool Cat back from the doldrums to win the 2004 G3 Phoenix Sprint S. at this venue, believes he has Caravaggio in a much better place now. “He's in good form. We just felt he had a few things that didn't suit him in Deauville which we spoke about, but we're happy with the way he's moving and he seems to be in very good form,” he explained. “Obviously the faster the ground the better it will suit him, but he has form with ease in the ground as well.”
Opposition from England is strong, with Caspian Prince (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) having vital course-and-distance winning form having beaten Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) by a short head, with last year's Flying Five winner Ardhoomey (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) 2 1/2 lengths further away in third, in the July 15 G2 Sapphire S. Trainer Tony Coyle is hoping he can keep building towards a visit to Del Mar Nov. 4. “He's in good order, he's ready to go,” he said. “He looks well and he's working well so it's all systems go. We gave him a break and he was never going to go to York for the Nunthorpe. He doesn't seem to like it there. He's been there twice and not run very well. It's a serious pot at The Curragh and he goes on any ground, but we would rather have it firm. He rattles off it. If he wins on Sunday, he'll go to America for the Breeders' Cup. It's a “Win-And-You're-In” race. That's why he's not even entered for the [G1] Prix de l'Abbaye.”
Marsha was obviously much better next time in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at York Aug. 25, where Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) belied odds of 50-1 to be third.
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