“Mate, you broke your maiden in the Derby. Good boy” – quote of the day from Craig Williams, chatting to his mount after he’d won the Hong Kong Derby aboard a horse that’s related to Makybe Diva, cost $1.4mil, but hadn’t won a race in his 16 starts prior.
The horse in question, Cap Ferrat, was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from breeders Arrowfield Stud - a Snitzel son of stakes winner C’Est Beau La Vie, daughter of Group III winner Valkyrie Diva, a half-sister to the legend that is Makybe Diva.
Sent to Chris Waller in the ownership of the Coolmore and partners stallion syndicate, he showed obvious talent but they can’t all be Shinzo or Home Affairs so was moved along as a horse with racing potential but not stallion potential.
And to be fair, he did scream Hong Kong Derby contender. He wouldn’t have come cheap.
As a spring three-year-old in Australia he finished third in the Group II Gloaming Stakes (1800m), then second to Tom Kitten in the Group I Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
In the autumn he was third in the Group I Rosehill Guineas to Riff Rocket and finished sixth behind the same horse in the Australian Derby at his final Australian start.
That was when he left Australian shores into the care of Francis Lui. And gelded.
Given one start last season, he kicked off this season with a rightfully ambitious campaign, starting second favourite in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, finishing 12th behind Mark Newnham’s My Wish, then ninth behind Rubylot in the HK Classic Cup, both from wide gates with the subsequent issues that come with that.
However, as anyone who’s a fan of Seinfeld will attest – “it all evens out Jerry”, and thus it did. Cap Ferrat drew gate two for the Derby, zoomed up the rails and wouldn’t have won without it.
On the line he just held out the rocketing finish out wide from My Wish (Flying Artie) in a close photo, with Packing Angel (Shocking) third.
Cap Ferrat is the second Coolmore sourced horse in a row to win the Hong Kong Derby, with last year’s winner, Massive Sovereign (No Nay Never x Sweet Charity) being a northern hemisphere buy for Coolmore at Goffs Orby that was then sold privately into Hong Kong.
Cap Ferrat’s full brother is set to be offered at Inglis Easter as Lot 312 by Arrowfield.
Arrowfield Stud Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer was understandably delighted with the win.
“He was an outstanding yearling and was competitive with the best 3YOs in Australia when he raced for Coolmore,” said Freyer.
“The win this evening was far from a surprise to us as he clearly has the ability, he just needed more luck that what he had enjoyed on his first few starts in Hong Kong.
“The win is a further compliment to the farm and the incredible team of people that works tirelessly to nurture these young horses through the early stages of their lives.
“Cap Ferrat is yet another top-class horse to graduate our Easter drafts in recent years, joining the likes of Switzerland, Lady Shenandoah, Autumn Angel, Estriella, Makarena, Autumn Ballet, Ostraka, Tutta La Vita etc,” said Freyer
C’Est Beau La Vie foaled a colt by Snitzel last season and was served by Dundeel.
And it capped a weekend to remember for his sire Snitzel, who a day earlier had produced Golden Slipper winning filly Marhoona.
