Caught U Looking earns Classic quotes with Weld win
By Sporting Life
15:42 · SUN September 24, 2023
Noel Meade appears to have a potential Classic contender on his hands after Caught U Looking powered home to secure top honours in the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.
Sixth on her debut at the track in late June, the daughter of Harzand showed the benefit of that initial experience when bolting up by six lengths on her second start at Leopardstown.
The youngster had not been seen since that runaway victory two months ago, but proved her worth stepped up to Group Three level in the hands of Ben Coen.
Always travelling well on the outside of the field, Caught U Looking went through the gears quickly when asked for her effort to pick up 9/4 favourite Sakti and prevail by half a length.
Paddy Power gave the winner an introductory quote of 33/1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
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Meade said: “That’s super. Obviously after she won so easy in Leopardstown there was plenty of interest in her. Tony O’Callaghan and Peter (Kelly), who bred her, own her and despite all the horses he has, Tony wasn’t for selling. He just wanted to keep her and said to roll the dice and see how she goes.
“Obviously there is a little bit of pressure on when you do that. Peter was happy enough to do that as well. She’s a good filly and she’s a filly that will improve because she’s a Harzand. She’s going to be better next year, and is probably a mile-and-a-half filly.”
He added: “I hope we can keep her. You keep hoping she can get up to the top, I know she only just won but obviously Ger (Lyons, trainer of Sakti) thinks quite a lot of his and you are always running against something decent from Ballydoyle. It’s hard to win a stakes race in Ireland.
“Everything is open now and we can dream a bit now. I put her in the Guineas the other day and we’ll enter her in the Oaks as well.
“She’s in the Fillies’ Mile next month but I wouldn’t imagine that will happen now, we’ll wait and let her mature.”
Go Athletico on target in Renaissance
Trainer Ado McGuinness
Go Athletico could line up in next weekend’s Prix de l’Abbaye after opening his Group-race account in Ireland with a battling victory in the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes.
A Listed winner at Cork on his stable debut for Ado McGuinness in mid-June, the high-class French recruit had since filled the runner-up berth in both the Group Two Sapphire Stakes and the Group Three Phoenix Sprint.
The five-year-old was a 7/2 shot for this Group Three assignment under Ronan Whelan and he showed plenty of tenacity go with his undoubted talent to get the better of a sustained duel with Big Gossey by half a length.
Aesop’s Fables was a further five and a half lengths behind in third, with the heavily supported 6-5 favourite Ocean Quest only fourth.
Of the winner, McGuinness said: “He’s in the Abbaye next week. We ran him here because it was giving it to be quite a dry week. He might travel but if it is dry, we won’t run him.
“I have to speak to Barry (Irwin, racing manager for part-owners Team Valor) first. There is a big possibility that he goes as there isn’t a whole pile left for him (this year).
“He deserved to get it today, he’s been very consistent. He’s been a great horse for me, he’s only had four runs and hit the ground running. I’m very lucky and privileged to have him.
“There’s been very little between him and Ken Condon’s horse (Moss Tucker) all year and if he’s fancied for the Abbaye next week, we won’t be too far behind him. Fingers crossed, he could go there.”
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