Vintager Becomes The Latest Stakes Winner By Mastercraftsman

Mastercraftsman’s fine run of form continued when Vintager (4g Mastercraftsman - White And Red, by Orpen) took Sunday’s Group 3 Prix Bertrand at Chantilly, the first Stakes success of his career.

The Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old was dropping to a mile, the same trip over while he finished third at Stakes level and won a valuable handicap, after which he was purchased by Godolphin. Now ridden by James Doyle, he raced close to the pace on the outside and put pressure on the leader from two furlongs out. Quickening to lead a furlong and a half from home, he was ridden out to hold off the favourite Trais Fluors by three parts of a length, with a further three and a half lengths back to the third horse.

Potential plans for Vintager include the Group 3 Meld Stakes at Leopardstown next month, for which he holds an entry. Bred by Thurso Bloodstock, he becomes the first Stakes winner out of his dam, a winning half-sister to Wild Passion, a Group 3 winner on the flat and Grade 1 winner over hurdles.

Earlier in the day at Salisbury, Tribal Craft (3f Mastercraftsman - Snoqualmie Star, by Galileo) justified favoritism in the ten furlong Novice Stakes for owner/breeder JC Smith of Littleton Stud.

A respectable sixth on debut last month, the Andrew Balding-trained filly seemed to appreciate the softer ground and change of tactics, as David Probert rode her to make all. Asked to quicken three furlongs out, she was ridden out to score by three lengths, with all of nine lengths back to the third horse.