Smart colt El Matador justifies lofty reputation for last year's Irish Oaks-winning team

Ralph Beckett, Hector Crouch and owners Valmont teamed up to win a Classic last season and the same combination came together for success with El Matador.

Running for the same connections as last year's Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me, El Matador was 2-5 for the 7f novice stakes after finishing an encouraging second on his debut at Nottingham in October.

He broke his maiden after an absorbing battle with Sea Baaeed, with the son of Lope De Vega just gaining the upper hand by a head. It was the type of performance connections had envisaged.

"He went to Nottingham and we were expecting him to win," the rider told Racing TV. "He just got tired that day on very testing ground and he was beaten by a very decent animal in Falconer. 

"I'm not entirely sure what the team want to do with him, but having won over seven furlongs opens up a few more possibilities because he looked like he might be a bit of a galloper last year. For him to have got the job done over what we knew would be shorter than ideal, and on quick ground, gives us a few options."

El Matador team denied double

The jockey, trainer and owners were denied a double when Bull Run found only the Cieren Fallon-ridden Gold Cup Day too strong in the 1m4f maiden. 

The five-and-a-half-length winner is from the family of Classic winners Fame And Glory and Legatissimo and looks a smart three-year-old prospect for William Haggas.

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