By Duane Fonseca
Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls returned to the winners’ enclosure nearly a year after the last time he set foot into one having put his experience to good use in the Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes on the Irish Derby undercard at The Curragh Sunday.
Connor Beasley had led the 6yo Lethal Force gelding to his last triumph when the pair won the Stewards’ Cup for the second straight time at Goodwood on 30 July last year and the Irish rider was at hand yet again as Commanche Falls collected what was a 10th win on his 31st start.
Raced midfield by Beasley, Commanche Falls started to loom prominently 400m from the finish and quickly took up the running to lead the field of 10 just after passing the 200m mark. He extended easily thereafter to finish with a length and a quarter to spare from Joseph Patrick O’Brien’s Anthem National (Declan McDonogh), who was a further half length ahead of stable companion Mooneista, the ride of Dylan McMonagle.
Winning trainer Dods’ daughter and assistant Chloe said: “He always takes a while to warm into his races and you would be worried if he wasn’t like that. Connor thinks he will be a better horse in a better race.
“He’s really chilled at home and doesn’t sweat at all. He’s a very chilled out horse and good to train. The races for him in the UK are quite limited, so that’s why we came here. I don’t think we will be put off coming here again if there is something.
“He got too high to run in handicaps and has stepped up to stakes races. He’s performed well in them and my dad said the York run was probably his best run. We were going to go to Ascot for Wokingham but he was too high and came here instead.”
