Three Sea Captains will be tough to beat

Three Sea Captains cost €30,000 at the 2011 Tattersalls September Yearling Sales in Fairyhouse but can recoup more than double that price in today's €125,000 feature at the Ratoath track, writes BRIAN O'CONNOR.

The Super Auction Sale Stakes has been rescheduled to coincide with the start of the 2012 Sales tomorrow and it is fair to assume trainer David Wachman will be revisiting Co Meath this week.

As well as securing Three Sea Captains last year, he also purchased the €50,000 Royal Empress and between the pair of them, they could take home the lion’s share of the big-money prize.

There is €61,250 to the winner, with prize-money of over €1,600 to the 10th and along with Dermot Weld’s Galway winner Thunder Mountain, the Wachman pair look to dominate the seven furlong event. Three Sea Captains broke his maiden in the Listed Curragh Stakes over five last time but his trainer doesn’t believe the extra-distance will be a problem and Wayne Lordan has chosen the colt over Royal Empress.

Thunder Mountain sports first-time blinkers and is rated to contend. But while there is no standout in the mould of the 2009 winner Dick Turpin – a subsequent dual-Group One winner – Three Sea Captains will be tough to beat.