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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Two wins in a week for Cacique Royale

Fri 7th Sep 2018, 20:17

Cacique Royale wins well in the northCacique Royale wins well in the north
© Photo Healy Racing

Cacique Royale followed up on his Naas victory on Tuesday by making all in Down Royal this evening.

The 10/11 favourite tanked along under Shane Foley and had his rivals on the stretch three furlongs from home in this extended mile and a half handicap.

He was clear over a furlong out and won by a length and a half from a staying-on Carol's Return at 20/1. Match My Fire (8/1) was seven and a half lengths further back in third.

Trainer Andrew Oliver said: "He won easily on Tuesday. He gave a blow so we were hoping that would happen but you never know. The ground is in great shape.

"Shane (Foley) gave him a lovely ride, the idea was to keep out of trouble. He doesn't have to front run. In fact you can see with his ears in front he is still quite green.

"A nice horse but still a work in progress. A big horse and we will give him a bit of a break now and we'll probably train him like a nice horse.

"He's a very straightforward horse but he just needed time to mature skeletally and mentally. There is more to come and whatever he is now you would expect he would be a better four-year-old.

"We'll just mind him and hopefully find another race in two or three weeks time and see what the handicapper has to say. He'd be a fine horse to go over hurdles so we have plenty of options."

The Stewards enquired into an incident on the turn into the straight involving British Art (GB), ridden by K.J. Manning, Maid In Manhattan ridden by O.J. Orr, and Dark Amber (GB), ridden by C.D. Hayes, where it appeared Maid In Manhattan ran short of room on the inner and came down, bringing down Dark Amber (GB). Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards apportioned no blame to any individual rider and took no further action.

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.