Crypto Force and Colin Keane win the Beresford Stakes © Photo Healy Racing
Colin Keane was seen at his brilliant best when delivering Crypto Force from last to first when landing the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh.
Held up in rear for much of the contest, the Michael O'Callaghan-trained colt was produced to challenge favourite Adelaide River between the last two furlongs.
For a time, it appeared as though the latter had enough in hand to hold off the Amo Racing owned horse but once Keane got down to work, he found a willing partner.
Impressive on his debut at this track in June, Crypto Force may just have found the race coming too soon when subsequently disappointing at Royal Ascot.
“That's massive. I'm delighted for Kia Joorabchian, and AMO Racing, because he's been a big supporter of mine this year and he's let me go away to the breeze-ups and buy some nice horses,” said Michael O'Callaghan.
“They cost plenty of money. I bought this lad myself and when he won his maiden I told Kia he was going to the London Sale and to be fair to him he didn't force me to sell him to him at home.
“I brought him to the sale and he paid a lot of money for him. The pressure was very much on me from that point on and it was a massive kick in the guts at Ascot, it just wasn't to be and he just needed that bit more time.
“To be fair Kia has been very patient, it's 100 days since Ascot but I just wanted to wait. He's a very exciting horse for next year.
“He doesn't do anything flashy at home, he just does what he needs to do.
“Colin said he'll probably be better on fast ground. I thought he wanted a mile-and-a-quarter looking at his homework. That's why I was happy to see a bit of rain to make the mile a test.
“He'll have no problem getting a mile-and-a-quarter but on better ground he'll have that bit more pace. He said he could make up into a Guineas horse over the winter.
“We won't get carried away with ourselves yet, I thought he won that very well and I'll go back and sit down and talk to Kia.
“He's by Time Test, out of a Galileo mare, from the family of Youmzain and horses like that. It would be nice to just put him away and train him with next year in mind.
“He's got the job done today and he's taken a bit of pressure off me after him costing so much, to a man I owe a lot to. I'm just delighted for him and he deserves it because he puts a lot into racing.
“Rossa came in at Ascot and said he was a nice horse but he ran a little bit green when he got bumped around halfway, dropped the bridle but he said he came home well.
“He said he won't be a horse until the autumn. We've crept along slowly with him and trained him with this weekend in mind.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
Paddy Powers quote the winner at 12/1(from 33) for the Vertem Futurity Trophy and 33/1(from 66) for the 2000 Guineas.
