Darkness Falls downs Desert Castle in Dewhurst battle

NEWMARKET, England – Darkness Falls confirmed himself to be at the top of Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old colts pecking order when running out a gutsy winner of the £500,000 (S$847,000) Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes (1,400m) at Newmarket on Oct 10.

All eyes were on Desert Castle and Darkness Falls as they locked horns on the Rowley Mile following respective impressive victories.

It quickly became apparent that the pair had it between them when front runner Jassas (Billy Loughnane) backed out of things at the 400m mark.

Having always sat on the heels of the leader, Darkness Falls (Ryan Moore, $12) committed for home and although Desert Castle (William Buick) drew alongside inside the final 200m, the Charlie Appleby-trained colt could not quite manage to get past as Moore galvanised O’Brien’s charge against the rails to prevail by a neck.

Also trained by O’Brien, Great Barrier Reef (Wayne Lordan) finished back in third.

It was a second Group 1 success in as many starts for the son of Camelot following his victory over 1,800m in the recently upgraded Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown on Sept 12.

Darkness Falls was cut to 3-1 favourite for the 2027 Group 1 2000 Guineas (1,600m) by Paddy Power, who pushed the runner-up out to 5-1 for the same contest.

O’Brien, who has Triple Crown aspirations for Darkness Falls, was full of praise for the three-time winner.

“(Owner) John (Magnier) made the call (to run) with the lads. It was a big call to come here and it’s incredible to bring a horse back from nine furlongs to win a Dewhurst,” said the Ballydoyle master trainer.

“We’ve always loved him and he’s always had a lot of class. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride and I’m so grateful to win this for everyone. He’s very exciting.

“We came here to give him the experience with a view to the Guineas, and we were always going to find out plenty.

“It was a massive ask to bring him back to seven furlongs. It was a tough nine at Leopardstown last time and he has so much class obviously.

“He’s so exciting, as you saw what he did over nine furlongs and I don’t think he’ll have any problem going further either. He has a lot of quality.

“When they have as much class as he has, they can do anything and the Triple Crown is the dream. His dad (Camelot) was an incredible horse who went very close. This lad is very like him, but quicker.

“His dad is a top-class stallion, and this is a very exciting son of his. If everything goes well, we’ll start at the Guineas and see what will happen after that.”

No horse has swept all three legs of the English Triple Crown since the day Nijinsky followed up his 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby successes with victory in the 1970 St Leger.

Sea The Stars and Nashwan won the first two legs but bypassed the final leg, and only Darkness Falls’ father Camelot has subsequently attempted all three legs, only to fall short in the St Leger in 2012.

O’Brien and Moore also pulled off a double courtesy of Drumbeat ($9), who returned to winning ways in the Group 3 Zetland Stakes (2,000m) two races earlier.

The Wootton Bassett two-year-old was sent off the $9 favourite, after finishing third behind the Group 1 Futurity Trophy-bound Noble Exhibit in the Group 2 Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes (1,600m) at The Curragh last time.

Drumbeat relished the step up to 2,000m for the first time, travelling kindly before powering clear to score by 5½ lengths from Wykehurst Park (Rob Hornby).

Desert Castle may have relinquished his unbeaten record at his third start, but Appleby was pleased with his run and is already relishing a rematch on the Rowley Mile with his Group 2 Champagne Stakes (1,400m) winner.

“You are always disappointed when you get beat, but I think they are two nice colts there that have gone to battle, and William just felt on that ground he would be taking him back at the three but he was asking him,” he said.

“We’ve got a winner there who was not going to stop and maintained it well, but I was pleased with our horse for one with just two runs under his belt and bearing in mind how raw he has been.

“We got to the winner but just couldn’t get past. He’s come forward and mentally, he’s growing up.

“I’ve always felt this horse was a ‘next year horse’ and he’s a big, scopey horse with some more maturing to do.

“We’ll put him away now and look ahead to the Guineas and I see no reason why we wouldn’t be having a rematch with the winner here in the spring. We’ll see then who comes out best.”

Rock Montreal ($11) also marked himself down as a live 2000 Guineas player when running on strongly to claim the Group 3 Autumn Stakes (1,600m).

Carrying the colours of Godolphin, trainer Roger Varian’s Blue Point colt made a stellar impression on his debut at Yarmouth before going down narrowly to Forbidden Fire in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes (1,400m) last time.

Trainer Andrew Balding’s high-class three-year-old gelding Humidity ($17) defied a lengthy 13-month absence to make a winning return in the Group 3 Modern Games Darley Stakes (1,800m) under James Doyle. RACING AND SPORTS