Dream result for Crisford team in Diomed

Graham Clark
June 13, 2020 6:45 pm

Training duo take Group race gold.

Century Dream gave the new training partnership of Ed and Simon Crisford a landmark success for their new venture with a second victory in the MansionBet’s Beaten By A Head Diomed Stakes at Newbury.

Without a win since triumphing in the Group Three prize at its usual Epsom home in 2018, the six-year-old son of Cape Cross ended his two-year spell in the doldrums on his seasonal bow.

Front rank throughout the mile prize, the 5-1 shot found plenty from the sharp end to defeat staying-on favourite King Of Comedy by a length and a quarter, completing a treble for rider James Doyle in the process.

Ed Crisford said: “It is really great. I’m so pleased for the horse as he lost his way a little bit last year.

“He won this race two years ago at Epsom and he did it really well today. It is a great Group-race success for the partnership.

“We thought about the Queen Anne, but as he hasn’t won since he won this race two years ago, we wanted him to get a bit of confidence.

“This race looked a suitable option, but it still looked very hot with King Of Comedy and Zaaki in it, but the rain came yesterday and we thought this would be perfect so we went for it.

“He is a half-brother to King Of Change, so it is a great family for the owners.”

Although no immediate targets were mentioned, both a step back up in class and a foreign campaign could be on the agenda in the future, provided conditions are suitable.

Crisford added: “Hopefully we can now look for some Group Twos and maybe Group Ones. He is one of those horses you can take anywhere as long as there is a bit of cut in the ground.

“We took him to the Arlington Million two years ago and it rained the whole week before, then it was rock hard ground on the day. He is one of those versatile horses you can take over a mile anywhere.”