CROWDED HOUSE STORMS INTO DERBY PICTURE
Crowed House storms into Derby picture
Tom O’Ryan
Funny game, racing. Three weeks on from narrowly missing out on one jackpot, Crowded House (RAINBOW QUEST) bagged another, in the process laying down his claims for the 2009 Derby.
A mere half a length shy of bagging a first prize of £492,000 in a sales race at Newmarket on his previous outing, the son of RAINBOW QUEST went one better in dramatic style to register a decisive victory, and provide Jamie Spencer with his first Group 1 success of the season.
His triumph spearheaded a wonderful effort from Brian Meehan, who saddled three runners in the race and also supplied third-placed Skanky Biscuit and Roman Glory, who finished sixth, and thus collected slightly less than £3,000 for his efforts.
Crowed House, though, bagged a prize of £122,623 – to go with the £197,000 he nabbed at Newmarket at the beginning of the month – after charting a course that saw him short for room approaching the final two furlongs before Spencer extricated him and produced him with a sweeping run on the outside.
The fact that he then swerved left inside the last, hampering both the runner-up, the favourite Jukebox Jury and Skanky Biscuit briefly interrupted his momentum. But not for long. He was quickly away and clear, and, come the line, had registered a three and a half length margin.
‘How far would he have won by if I’d got out two out?’ asked Spencer, who was plainly chuffed finally to chalk up a Group 1 success, and who escaped a ban after the stewards sensibly concluded that the interference caused by Crowed House had been of the accidental variety.
‘He has a lot of speed and stamina in his pedigree’ added Spencer, ‘He’s clearly very good.’
Meehan, understandably endorsed that comment. ‘He’s got ticks in all the right boxes,’ said the delighted trainer. ‘He’s got a good pedigree, his attitude is right, and he’s been progressive all the way through.’
Meehan will now have the winter to dream of where that progression may lead Crowed House. His namesake finished second in the 1992 Triumph Hurdle, but it is York in May that Meehan expects to focuc his thoughts.
He said, ‘The sensible route would be the Dante, but we’ll see how he winters, see what the owners want to do. It’s early days. But what we do know is that he’s a very classy horse. Newmarket last time was a furlong too short for him. He loved this step up to a mile today and he’s obviously a Derby horse.’
Bookmakers were at odds about the level of his performance. William Hill and VCbet went 14-1 for the Epsom showpiece, Ladbrokes 16-1 and Cashmans 20-1, while 2,000 Guineas quotes were also produced, between 8-1 and 16-1.
Meehan was also very pleased with Skanky Biscuit. ‘For him to come from winning his maiden to finish third in a Group 1 race was a fine performace,’ he said.
Deirdre Johnson, wife of trainer Mark, was proud of Jukebox Jury’s second place. She said, ‘You shouldn’t really be disappointed to finish second in a Group 1 race, but he was favourite, so you hope to win. But he’s run a blinder. I don’t think the bump he took made any difference to the result. The main thing is we’ve got a really nice horse to look forward to next year.’
Meehan can say the same about Crowded House. Can he become the fourth Racing Post Trophy winner in eight years to win the Derby? In seven and a bit months, we’ll know the answer.
Date: 27 October 2008