Caravaggio returns in style with Lacken win

Caravaggio showed an impressive turn of foot to make a winning seasonal reappearance in the EMS Copiers Lacken Stakes at Naas.

Unbeaten in four starts as a juvenile, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Scat Daddy colt boosted his claims for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot - where he won the Coventry Stakes last season - in taking fashion. Gorane set a good pace, but it teed the race up for the finishers, with Ryan Moore moving Caravaggio out from behind Psychedelic Funk to make his bid.

The 8/15 favourite shot clear in the final furlong to win the Group 3 event by four and three-quarter lengths from Psychedelic Funk, despite being off the track for 287 days.

Bookmakers reacted with Paddy Power cutting Caravaggio to 6/4 from 5/2 for the Commonwealth Cup.

O'Brien said, "He's an unbelievably quick horse. We said that we would come here and if everything went well we would go to Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup.

"I've never seen a quicker horse and that's why we went this way with him. He's showed nothing to say he wouldn't get a mile.

"We worked him seven furlongs and the petrol gauge never shifted, but I was afraid that he was so quick that it would be the wrong thing to do.

"We could train him for a mile and go back, but we didn't want to lose the brilliance.

"He was carrying plenty and was a good bit above what he was last year. A long way above. You couldn't be happier."