Captain Cat eyes Winter Derby glory

Flat racing is not yet back on turf in the UK, but the Pattern season gets underway at Lingfield Saturday with the running of the £100,000 G3 Winter Derby, where Roger Charlton’s dual G3 winner Captain Cat (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) bids to add another feather in his cap. The 6-year-old gelding really came into his own last season, finishing in the money in all bar one of his nine outings. He opened his account at Pattern level when landing the G3 Sovereign S. in August and was back for more in the G3 Superior Mile Sept. 6. He also achieved a creditable fifth to Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on British Champions Day, but connections were at loss to explain his below-par performance on his final start of the season, when he finished last of ten in the G1 Hong Kong Mile. “Captain Cat seems in good form,” Charlton told Sky Sports. “He has had no setbacks and has been doing regular exercise. This race has been the plan for a while.” “Lingfield suits him,” the trainer continued. “There may be fitter horses in the race, but he seems good. I think he can hold his own at this level. He made terrific improvement last year and was not beaten far in a Group 2 and ran well in a Group 1, but he needs to improve again”.

Captain Cat’s ten rivals include Godolphin’s Tryster (Ire) (Shamardal), who is unbeaten in three starts this year, all in handicap company. His latest effort at Kempton earned him a 100 official rating, and Charlie Appleby commented, “Tryster goes into Saturday’s race with a nice, progressive profile. He has come out of his last win at Kempton Park very well, has a decent draw in stall four and a mile and a quarter is a great trip for him.” Another with progressive form to his name is Marco Botti’s Grendisar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who scored in his last two starts including the Listed Winter Derby Trial S., in which he had Cloudscape (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Grandeur (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) and Alfonso de Sousa (Henrythenavigator) behind him.  

The winner of the Winter Derby is awarded an automatic and free berth in the £200,000 All-Weather Championships middle distance final, to be staged over the same course and distance on Good Friday, Apr. 3.