Rivet nails Trophy four in a row for Atzeni

ANDREA Atzeni continued his remarkable recent dominance of the Racing Post Trophy as Rivet entered the Classic picture with a commanding display at Doncaster.

The Italian jockey had won the last three renewals of the season’s final domestic Group One aboard Kingston Hill, Elm Park and Marcel. And, having claimed the Champagne Stakes at the track last month, Rivet returned to South Yorkshire with solid claims.

The William Haggas-trained juvenile looked an exciting prospect at the St Leger meeting and while he failed to meet expectations in the Dewhurst at Newmarket a fortnight ago, hopes were high he would be seen in a better light back on this more conventional track.

Atzeni kept things simple aboard the 11-4 chance, allowing him to stride on at the head of affairs from the off. Yucatan, the 11-8 favourite to provide Aidan O’Brien with his eighth Racing Post Trophy, was under pressure some way from home and while he did respond, Rivet was good value for the winning margin of a length and three-quarters.

The winner is owned by Lester Piggott, father of the trainer’s wife and assistant Maureen Haggas, in partnership with John Magnier and Michael Tabor.

Maureen Haggas, said: “It didn’t go right for him last time as he was a bit keen and we were in behind. William said if there wasn’t the pace we wanted to do our own thing – Andrea did it brilliantly. He’s got the right way about him. All the horses we’ve had out of the mare [Starship] have had very good minds.”

Rivet was cut to 16-1 from 25s for next year’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but Haggas said: “I think we’ll start off at a mile next year but he didn’t enjoy Newmarket much.”