Incredible Royal Ascot for Scat Daddy
Scat Daddy may very sadly be no longer with us but the impact he has had on Royal Ascot 2017 will be remembered for years to come.
Despite having stood many thousand of miles from Ascot at Ashford in Kentucky, Scat Daddy - sire of the exciting young Coolmore sire No Nay Never - has dominated this year’s Royal Meeting with two G1 winners headlining a series of stellar performances.
On Friday it was the turn of the superb Caravaggio (3c Scat Daddy-Mekko Hokte, by Holy Bull) to shine when producing a spellbinding performance comprising speed and stamina to land the third running of the G1 Commonwealth Cup.
"He is very quick, I would be happier at two furlongs than six furlongs with this fella! He is the fastest horse we have ever had,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien.
"He's an absolutely brilliant horse. We felt that, because it was his second run back, we were afraid to do too much because we didn't want to lose that brilliance that he has.
"Ryan gave him a brilliant ride and his change of pace is unbelievable. He is just an unbelievably quick horse.
"The lads have a plan in their mind that he might go to Australia for the Everest [G1, six furlongs, Randwick Racecourse on October 14], so we have to be very conscious now if we want him to last for the autumn.”
Caravaggio, whose victories include last season’s G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, maintained his unbeaten six-from-six record in the G1 Commonwealth Cup.
"I think that was a fairly exceptional race and he beat two very good horses. There's quite a headwind and it has been hard to make up ground today and yesterday. They made him work, but he picked them up well in the end," said winning jockey Ryan Moore.
Coolmore boss John Magnier, whose wife Sue is a joint owner of Caravaggio, said: "Every time we get a winner here, it always means something. We were unlucky to lose Scat Daddy a few years ago and this horse is his fourth winner at Royal Ascot this year. Hopefully, this fellow will take his place [at stud].
"Aidan has always said that Caravaggio was one of the quickest that he ever had. He is unbeaten so far, so fingers crossed. He is a better racehorse than Scat Daddy and it is a cross that we need. It's just fortunate for us that he has come at the right time.”
Scat Daddy’s fabulous week also included a runaway victory for superstar US-trained filly Lady Aurelia (3f Scat Daddy-D'Wildcat Speed, by Forest Wildcat) in Tuesday’s G1 King’s Stand Stakes.
Meanwhile Sioux Nation (2c Scat Daddy-Dream The Blues, by Oasis Dream) looked an outstanding prospect when winning the G2 Norfolk Stakes on Wednesday.
Lady Aurelia’s trainer Wesley Ward was on the mark again when Con Te Partiro (3f Scat Daddy-Temple Street, by Street Cry) won the Listed Sandringham Handicap.
Other noteworthy perfomances at Royal Ascot included Murillo (2c Scat Daddy-Mostaqeleh, by Rahy) finishing third in the G2 Coventry Stakes and the Jeremy Noseda-trained Take Me With You (2f Scat Daddy-Me And Miss Jones, by Smarty Jones) filling the same position in the G3 Albany Stakes on Friday.