‘Class act’ Master Of The Seas heading to 2,000 Guineas after slick performance

Master Of The Seas (nearside): gets the better of stablemate La Barrosa in the Craven Stakes

Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Master Of The Seas was cut to 12-1 (from 20) for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas after getting the better of stablemate La Barossa in a terrific battle as Godolphin and Charlie Appleby dominated the Group 3 bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

The 11-4 favourite, wearing a first-time hood, was initially caught in a pocket under William Buick before coming through to defeat La Barossa by three parts of a length, with 22-1 shot Mystery Smiles in third.

Buick was not happy with his early position but spoke highly of the winner, telling ITV Racing: “I just wanted to give him some room so he could run home and go through the gears which he did. It threatened to be a very messy race but the two class horses came through. This will have done this horse the world of good. He was relaxed and did everything right.

“I think he’s a Guineas horse. Only the very good ones manage to quicken down the Dip and when they hit the rising ground they go again and that’s what this fella did. When he ran in Dubai he was a bit of a mess and I’m just glad to get him back on track.”

Master Of The Seas won the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on the Rowley Mile last year before racing keenly when finishing fourth in the National Stakes at the Curragh behind the top-class trio of Thunder Moon, Wembley and St Mark’s Basilica.

Watch Master Of The Seas win the Craven

After beginning his three-year-old season with a narrow second to stablemate Naval Crown in Meydan, Appleby applied a hood to Master Of The Seas and the headgear helped him bounce back in fine style.

No Craven winner has gone on to land Guineas honours since Haafhd in 2004, but Appleby confirmed the Classic is next for Master Of The Seas, and was delighted with the manner of his victory.

“I wasn’t worried when he got beat in Meydan because our eyes were on Europe,” Appleby said. “Our plan didn’t actually work out as we wanted it today. I was hoping La Barrosa was going to break a bit better and get closer to the front to take everybody up the middle. 

Master Of The Seas (right) had his odds cut to 12-1 (from 20) with Betfair for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas

Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

“William had to manoeuvre himself out of there and he said the horse is a great mover, very slick. I thought it was a good performance. Master Of The Seas was the class act of the race with his solid two-year-old form.” 

La Barrosa could join Master Of The Seas back at Newmarket for the 2,000 Guineas on May 1, with Appleby also set to saddle general 5-1 chance One Ruler.

Looking ahead to the race and a potentially tricky decision facing stable jockey Buick, the trainer added: “William will have a job to get away from him [Master Of The Seas], but we’re very pleased with One Ruler as well and it’s a nice position to be in when we can have a couple nice horses to participate in the Guineas with.”

What had initially been billed as a battle between Godolphin and Coolmore ended in disappointment for Aidan O’Brien and his wait for a first Craven winner goes on with Sandhurst finishing sixth and Khartoum last of the ten runners.

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FIRST PUBLISHED 3:46PM, APR 15 2021