Impressive new Group winner for Cape Cross

Four-year-old Cape Cross colt Agent Murphy has been a wonderfully consistent performer, never finishing out of the first three, and on 15 August he successfully stepped up in class and trip to take the G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

Settled just off the early pace under Jimmy Fortune, the Brian Meehan-trained colt was always travelling well and once asked to quicken, responded brilliantly and soon eased clear of his rivals to win by five lengths.

Lightly raced, Agent Murphy won twice last year before returning this May with a three-length victory in the Listed Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot. His trainer indicated after the race that a further step up in class is now on the cards, with the G1 Irish St Leger cited as his next target.

Agent Murphy was bred by Wellsummers Farm and is out of the unraced Dansili mare Raskuntani, a half-sister to Cape Cross’s multiple Group winner Hatta Fort. They are from the family of G1 winner and Champion Miss Keller.

Cape Cross is enjoying an outstanding year with Derby and Eclipse hero Golden Horn leading his 19 Black type performers. Golden Horn is due to reappear at York this week in the G1 Juddmonte International.