Amid a weekend of remarkable racing stories, Captivant’s Listed Crockett Stakes winner Caddington delivered one of the most emotional victories for trainer Liam Howley and her connections.
Raced in memory of Nicole Strang, who lost her battle with breast cancer, the filly’s scintillating win brought tears of joy to her owners, including Nicole’s husband and Howley’s General Manager, Adin Strang.
Ridden by Billy Egan, Caddington settled towards the rear of the field before unleashing a powerful finish down the outside to sweep past her rivals and swamp Aroused in the closing stages.
For Howley, the result meant far more than a Stakes victory.
“There’s been no more important wins than this one,” Howley said.
“It’s all about the team and Adin’s our most important team member; he runs the show. I was lucky enough to sit with him through the last few years of Nicole’s journey. To be able to give them something to smile about like this, it means the world.”
“The filly has done a super job. If ever you wanted one to be talented… I looked at her every day of the week hoping that she’d turn out to be this good,” he said.
“It’s a good story.”
Egan was equally delighted to be part of such a special result.
“It was a super effort by the horse and Liam won’t be the only happy one,” Egan said.
“There’s a great bunch of owners and it is all for a good cause.”
Egan also reflected on the personal significance of the cause, noting that Nicole had received breast cancer treatment from someone he had known since school.
“Very rapt for the owners and Liam and one of the studs that gave away their 30% as well to look after them.”
“She’s well-schooled. She just took it all in her stride. She knows what she’s here to do. She’s here to do business and she gets it done.”
Passed in as a yearling by Kia Ora Stud when she failed to reach her $100,000 reserve, Caddington has already won twice from three starts and amassed more than $150,000 in prizemoney.
She is the third winner and first Stakes winner out of War Heroine, an American-imported Group 2 winner by Lonhro. Her two-year-old full brother, Captain Jacka, is also by Captivant, while War Heroine has a yearling colt by Farnan.
Captivant has now sired two Stakes winners from just 20 runners, including last season’s Gr.2 winner Vantorix, who returned with an impressive 10-length trial victory on Sunday.
A Gr.1 Champagne Stakes-winning 2YO, Captivant trained on to excel at three, earning a Timeform rating of 121 following his outstanding runner-up performance in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas, finishing just half a length behind Champion 3YO Anamoe.
With his progeny now beginning to showcase that same talent and progression at three, Captivant offers breeders significant upside at just $11,000 this season at Vinery.
