BROTHERS GRIN
Joy all round as Joseph & Donnacha upstage dad
A race that looked a golden opportunity for Saxon Warrior to atone for his Epsom defeat instead produced a new middle distance star in the 16/1 shot Latrobe.
The winner didn’t boast anything like the profile of a number of the other runners as it was only three weeks ago that he registered the first success of his career.
However, Joseph had never made any secret of the regard in which he holds the winner and that faith was rewarded in some style.
Under an astute ride from Donnacha, Latrobe soon took up a prominent position in a race run at a very steady pace.
Indeed, the two colts who helped to take the field along were the two to fight out the finish, along with Saxon Warrior who was the only high profile horse to make his presence felt.
As the runners turned for home, Rostropovich remained in front but Latrobe was almost upsides this point as Saxon Warrior tried to raise his effort.
From well over a furlong out Latrobe seemed to have Rostropovich covered but that one didn’t give in easily. Then Saxon Warrior arrived with a menacing effort entering the last furlong and a three way battle ensued.
But Latrobe kept pulling out more and he scored by half a length from Rostropovich with Saxon Warrior a further neck back.
Joseph said: “It’s incredible. We had intended to take our time but the pace was slow and Donnacha let him go forward. That was the winning of the race.
“There’s so many people I have to thank and I have to say that I am so grateful and so lucky to be in this position and Donnacha has given him an unbelievable ride.
“Although this horse has been beaten a few times we’ve always loved him and he’s never let us down.”
Donnacha reflected: “I thought that he’d run well and the race did set up very well for him as he got into a nice position and we didn’t go that quick.
“He showed a lot of guts and determination, just like his sire Camelot, and he’s a horse that stays very well.”
Although he had to settle for second, third, fourth and fifth Aidan O’brien was a very proud father.
“It’s a very special day. You couldn’t dream of it. It was a good race, a great finish and it would have been a sickener if we’d have chinned the two lads,” he said.