Seventh Winner for Caravaggio

Mark Smith - Friday June 11

After four consecutive seconds, Silver Surfer finally broke through in a well-contested maiden over 6-furlongs at Fairyhouse on Friday to become the seventh first crop winner for Caravaggio (IRE).

Ridden by Gavin Ryan, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained colt disputed the lead for the majority of the trip but looked under pressure a furlong out. He rallied to defeat the Acclaim colt Shoebox King by a half-length with the same distance back to the dark Angel colt Schiele in third.

Silver Surfer (image Irishracing.com Twitter)

Silver Surfer was most recently beaten one and three-quarter lengths at Naas by another son of Caravaggio (IRE), the Royal Ascot bound Andreas Vesalius.

“He had a few good runs behind nice horses,” Donnacha O'Brien told Irishracing.com

“Blinkers might have helped him and definitely the step up to six.  It was nice for him to get his head in front.”

Advertisement

Pinhooked by Glenvale Stud for 78,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, Silver Surfer was bought by MV Magnier for 100,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

He is the first winner from three foals to race, out of the French Listed winner Riskit Fora Biskit (Kodiac) a half-sister to three stakes-placed winners including the Group II Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Crown Prosecutor (Exceed And Excel).

A dual Group 1 winning son of Scat Daddy, Caravaggio shuttled to Australia for just one season in 2018. His oldest southern hemisphere progeny are yearlings and have sold up to $220,000.

Caravaggio

Advertisment
More Reading...
El Roca Filly Wins G3 Gold Trail
Lollapalooza went into Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a maiden, but she came out of it as one of the leaders of her generation and the clear favourite for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Concorde Stakes Success For Headwall
With the first two across the line highlighting their claims for an Everest slot, Matthew Smith’s Headwall (Dream Ahead) came with a well-timed run in the $1m Group 3 ATC Concorde Stakes (1000m) to deny the unlucky Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel).
Catch Me If You Can Tactics Sees Changingoftheguard Break Aussie Duck
Having not won since June 2024 at Group 2 level at Ascot, a front running ride by James McDonald aboard the Kris Lees trained Changingoftheguard (IRE) saw the son of Galileo win the $200,000 Listed ATC City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m).
Extremely Good Filly Wins G2 Furious for Myracehorse
There has always been a big boom on Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic following her flashing second on debut last December and we finally saw her back at the races at Randwick on Saturday and it proved well worth the wait!
G1 Shamus Award - Quintessa Wins Proisir Plate
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
Exciting Stakes-Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Park Stud this year, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes produced an exciting stakes-winner in New Zealand on Saturday with promising three year-old Affirmative Action taking out the $100,000 Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at his second race start.
Front Runner Lindermann Wins Chelmsford Stakes
Capitalising on his outstanding second up form, Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning Lonhro gelding Lindermann held on to win the Group 2 ATC Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Zoustar 5YO Showing Promise
Promising gelding Have A Crack retained his unbeaten New Zealand record with a gritty performance to take out the Rich Hill Stud (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
$750,000 Deep Field Colt a SW on Debut
Nearly all of the good colts and geldings by now pensioned sire Deep Field find their way to Hong Kong, but astute trainer Clinton McDonald was determined to keep Rosberg paying $750,000 for the colt at the Inglis Ready 2Race Sale last year and he was rewarded at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
G1 Spring Ahead As Angel Capital Remains Unbeaten First Up
A winner of the Listed McKenzie Stakes on this day last year, outstanding Harry Angel 4yo Angel Capital remained unbeaten first-up, winning the Listed MVRC Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) in dominant fashion.