The Return of Caspar Netscher

by Emma Berry

Any good husband knows that the key to a happy marriage is to cede to his wife’s wishes, and for Charles Wentworth, ensuring that he kept his wife Zorka happy by buying back Caspar Netscher (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) following his failed stud career has also led to a return trip to the Breeders’ Cup. 

Now five, the multiple group/graded stakes winner was originally purchased for the couple by Tom Malone at Tattersalls’ Craven Breeze-up Sale in 2011. A former jump jockey, Malone had ridden the juvenile prior to the sale at the stable of fellow jockey Katie Walsh, who has made a successful sideline of pinhooking yearlings. Satisfied that the colt had what he was looking for despite being on the small side, Malone went to 65,000gns to secure lot 110 for the Wentworths. His new owners were rewarded almost at once when Caspar Netscher, trained initially by Alan McCabe, won on debut exactly a month after the sale and one day shy of his second birthday. 

A dream 2-year-old season, highlighted by victories in the G2 Gimcrack S. and G2 Mill Reef S., ended with an eighth-place finish behind Wrote (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs. Caspar Netscher returned at three to land Newbury’s Guineas trial, the G3 Greenham S., and claimed Classic glory in Germany in the G2 Mehl- Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) in what appeared to be the final victory of his career. 

His retirement to Ireland’s Morristown Lattin Stud at the end of 2012 was to be short-lived, however, with his sub-fertility resulting in only three foals as living proof of his brief career as a stallion. Effectively an insurance write-off, Caspar Netscher was offered for sale by BBA Ireland through a system of sealed-bid offers. 

“I was very keen to get him back,” says Wentworth, “mostly because Zorka was insistent that we should get him back. It was pretty nerve-wracking, the sealed bids, but [Katie’s father] Ted Walsh said to me, ‘Think of a figure you’d give for him in the ring and add 10% for sentimentality’s sake.’ That’s pretty much what I did and fortunately we got him.” 
While the bidding process was underway, Caspar Netscher had been sent by the insurance company to the Newmarket stable of David Simcock to be viewed by potential purchasers. Following their successful buy-back, the Wentworths, who live on a stud farm just outside Newmarket, decided he would remain with the trainer whose successful Canadian raids this year include not only Caspar Netscher’s win in the GII Nearctic S. Oct. 19, but also a Grade I double with Sheikhzayedroad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Trade Storm (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}) in the Northern Dancer Turf S. and Woodbine Mile S., respectively. 

“It was purely by chance that Caspar had been sent to David,” says Wentworth. “First of all, we were just so glad to have him back–we’d had such a lot of fun with the horse and even if he hadn’t taken to being in training again, we’d have just brought him home to live with us. The priority was ensuring that he had a good life.” 

Despite some encouraging runs during his first season back in training, including being beaten just a neck by subsequent Group 1 winner Garswood (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in the G2 Lennox S. at Glorious Goodwood on his comeback run, Caspar Netscher remained winless last year, while a hamstring injury kept him off the track until August this season. 

“The ground has been too soft for him most of this season, but he had to start somewhere and then Woodbine was spot on and it was an excellent bit of placing by David,” commented Wentworth. 

Despite being in North America, Caspar Netscher had to travel from Canada via Amsterdam in order to reach California but is now safely ensconced at Santa Anita. For Saturday’s appearance in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint he will be without his winning partner from Woodbine, Andrew Mullen, as the young jockey has recently undergone an operation on his hip. Into the breach steps Ireland’s newly crowned champion jockey Pat Smullen. 

Added Wentworth, “Caspar has settled well at Santa Anita and he’s absolutely fine. It’s a shame Andrew can’t ride him again but he’s already delayed his surgery three times. Depending on how things go in America, he may go on to Hong Kong in December, but we’ll just see. It’s great even to be having this chance to run at the Breeders’ Cup again.” 

“I probably look at him through rose-tinted glasses a bit, but I expected him to come back and be good, which I know could have set myself up for disappointment,” continued Wentworth. “But he hasn’t disappointed us and we’ve nothing to lose by running at the Breeders’ Cup–he’s already proved he’s back.” 

With Caspar Netscher set to remain in training for the foreseeable future, he could even end up running simultaneously with his few offspring. 

“There are two foals by him in the November Sale at Goffs,” says Wentworth, whose broodmare Close To The Edge (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) was one of the 50-plus mares covered by Caspar Netscher who didn’t get in foal. 

“Zorka is insisting that we go to have a look at them,” he adds with a grin.