CRACKSMAN CRACKS IT
CRACKSMAN showed his dislike for Epsom but displayed his superior class when snatching victory from what had looked like certain defeat in the Investec Coronation Cup.
Rounding Tattenham Corner, Cracksman swayed like a drunk who had necked eights pints on a Saturday night binge as he tried to catch front-running Salouen.
It was only inside the final furlong that Cracksman found his feet when Frankie Dettori made a winning move up the inside rail, scoring by a head from Salouen with Windstoss, the German Derby winner, in third.
“He was a bit sleepy today and he SILVESTRE DE SOUSA, so close to winning the Coronation Cup when Salouen failed by a head to catch Cracksman, celebrated glory with Lake Volta.
The champion jockey, who partnered the gelding for Mark Johnston in the Investec Surrey Stakes, said: “I was confident from the gate as he was travelling that well.
“I know it’s easy to say after the horse has won but I was always happy.”
Richard Fahey believes he has a doesn’t really enjoy galloping downhill,” said Dettori. “When I wanted to close the gap, I couldn’t and Silvestre [de Sousa, rider of Salouen] was still five lengths away.
“He worked hard for this one. We didn’t see the best of him today – he was never happy on the track – and we know that he’s a better horse than he showed.
“I didn’t know I was going to get there until the last five yards. It was a massive effort to make that ground up in such a short time.”
Derby-winning jockey Willie Ryan, who travelled down to Epsom from Newmarket with Dettori, turned to me and said: “Thank God. I was not looking forward to the journey home!” John Gosden, smart colt in Cosmic Law, the Investec Woodcote Stakes winner
“I was expecting him to run well,” said Fahey. “But it’s amazing – you sit in the car on the way here, reading the paper, and you see he is the outsider.
“You think I’m getting this very wrong here – or someone is, anyway.”
Cosmic Law will now be aimed for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. the winning trainer, shared Dettori’s thoughts.
“I liked the way he finished,” said Gosden. “It was a very clever ride as he looked beaten.
“It was certainly not the horse we know as he was clearly not comfortable on the course, rather like in last year’s Derby (finished third behind Wings Of Eagles).
“I have to say it was also a brilliant ride from Silvestre as it’s very difficult to come from behind on this testing ground and especially if you’re not enjoying running downhill. What pleased me was his courage though.
“We’ll point him towards Royal Ascot for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. It is 19 days away, but he’s had a race today.”
Cracksman gets a 6-4 quote for the Ascot race with William Hill and is 3-1 for the Arc de Triomphe.
Your heart went out to Sylvester Kirk, trainer of Salouen, who was gracious in defeat.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” he said. “To be that close to Cracksman shows what a serious horse he is.
“I thought for one moment we had won it.”
Kirk operates from a small yard in Lambourn and victory would have enhanced his profile big time.
“It was almost a fairy tale,” he said. “When Salouen last ran at Epsom he nearly fell over in last year’s Derby.”
But, undeterred, Kirk is now aiming for the stars. He now has the Arc de Triomphe in mind for his brave colt.