Capri bred for success over middle-distances

CAPRI (IRE) - 2014 grey colt

Heavy ground can make form unreliable but Capri was odds-on when beating Yucatan by three-parts of a length in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes on that surface at the Curragh in September, a month before achieving a higher rating in defeat in France.

The latter race was the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs on soft ground and he was only beaten by a length and half a length when third to Waldgeist and Best Solution, with Douglas Macarthur a neck back in fourth.

He ran three times before his pattern success, finishing a half-length second to Arcada on his debut in a seven-furlong Curragh maiden in July, easily winning over a furlong and a half farther at Galway a fortnight later, and then taking a seven and a half furlong listed contest at Tipperary just six days after that.

Capri, an Aidan O'Brien-trained grey who was bred by the partnership of Lynch Bages Ltd and Camas Park Stud, ended his juvenile campaign on a rating of 113 and, as you might expect, he holds entries in the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Group 1 Investec Derby, and Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

The colt is out of the French winner Dialafara (by Anabaa) and that half-sister to winners is, in turn, a daughter of the talented Diamilina (by Linamix). She won the Group 2 Prix de Mallaret and Group 3 Prix de la Nonette, she was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille, and she has quite a few relations of note.

Her half-brother Diamond Green (by Green Desert) won the Group 3 Prix La Rochette as a juvenile and was later runner-up in each of the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas), Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, and Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. His progeny feature the US Grade 1 scorer Watsdachances, which could make Capri an interesting prospect if he goes on to secure a place at stud.

Diamonixa, a full-sister to Diamilina, looked like a potential Group 1 star in the making when running away with the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre on her second start but, sadly, she met with a fatal accident before getting the chance to run again.

Their full-sister Dali's Grey, who won just once, has done her part for the family as she is the dam of the listed scorer and Group 1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer (by Halling) and grandam of the dual stakes-winning fillies Bezique (by Cape Cross) and Momayyaz (by Elusive Quality).

Diamonaka (by Akarad), the grandam of Capri, was runner-up in both the Group 2 Prix de Mallaret and Group 3 Prix du Royaumont and she was among nine winners out of Phoenix Park listed scorer Diamond Seal (by Persian Bold).

Those siblings include Group 2 Prix Greffulhe winner and Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris third Diamond Mix (by Linamix), Group 3 Prix de Royaumont scorer Diasilixa (by Linamix). and also Diamond Dance (by Dancehall), the Group 3 Prix Penelope-winning dam of Group 2 Prix de Pomone victress Diamond Tango (by Acatenango). The last-named is the dam of three blacktype earners including last year's Group 3 Prix de Lutece runner-up Dounyapour (by Lope De Vega).

It remains to be seen just how good Capri will be at his peak, and how he will fare on good and on fast ground, but he clearly has ability and also the potential to do well over middle-distances.