totepool Sovereign Stakes
Group 3, Salisbury 16:00 £75,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
Thursday 14th August 2014

1 Captain Cat 11/2
2 Producer 4/1
3 Rerouted 14/1
NR: Cordite (IRE), Fire Ship, Master Carpenter (IRE), Tawhid
7 ran Distances: 2½l, 2¼l, 1¼l
TIME 1m 41.45s (slow by 1.95s)

Captain Cat opened up a variety of new options after proving his effectiveness on turf in no uncertain terms in the totepool Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury.

The last time Roger Charlton's gelding had been seen was on Good Friday, when he netted a considerably larger purse in the All-Weather Mile Championship at Lingfield, but the Group Three feature event of the Wiltshire track's calendar added another layer of prestige.

Captain Cat (11-2) had missed a couple of high-profile engagements en-route but showed such a striking change of gear to quicken two and a half lengths clear of the reliable Producer that Charlton could yet be tempted to send him further up the ladder in just nine days time at Goodwood.

Yuften, the 6-4 favourite after being demoted from second in the Group One Prix Jean Prat, struck for home from the front but James Doyle and Captain Cat appeared full of running on the wide outside and settled the event with the minimum of fuss. Yuften weakened to fourth.

"That was pretty enjoyable to watch, seeing him cruising there on the outside," said Charlton.

"Provided he's OK, he could well run in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood later this month (August 23)."

Luca Cumani's Afsare successfully doubled up in both events last year and Charlton went on: "He's done very well, he's gone from a rating of 107 to probably 115 there.

"We don't really have targets, there could be targets during the winter. Maybe Dubai - he's obviously a valuable horse now."

Doyle said: "I was pleasantly surprised how well I was going, he was good today.

"He's a horse in his younger years who was tall and lanky, a shell of a horse, but now he's really strengthened up and looks the complete article.

"I was little concerned after the (pre-race) downpour but he's very versatile. He's good on Polytrack but he showed he's as good on turf.

"He'd handle Goodwood no problem, he's well balanced."

totepool Sovereign Stakes (Group 3)
£75,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Firm