Gr1 Winner In UK For Breeder Des Scott
For the fourth year running Andrea Atzeni was aboard the winner as Rivet made every yard to take victory for William Haggas.
The two-year-old was up with the pace the moment the stalls opened and as the race entered its final stages, he held off the challenge of Yucatan to win by one and three-quarters of a length.
Bred by Des Scott (of Scott Bros), Rivet is the seventh foal out of the winning Galileo mare Starship and is a brother to several winners including 7f scorer Out And About.
Beaten in Group 1 company last time out in the Dewhurst, Rivet appreciated the extra furlong at Doncaster and did things the hard way, repelling a host of challengers, with favourite Yucatan runner-up.
Atzeni said: “The further he went the better he was and he hit the line strong. He’s definitely going the right way and will be a stronger horse next year.
“It is my lucky track and I’ve ridden a lot of nice horses here. I’ve been very lucky, I ride some good horses for good trainers.”
Atzeni also made a slice of racing history by winning the race, becoming the first jockey to win a British Group 1 four times in a row.
The final Group 1 of the season in Britain and Ireland, the Racing Post Trophy has a rich history of quality winners that go on to achieve Classic glory, and Rivet shaped as though he could make an impact in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.
Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William, said: “The Guineas is an obvious target but we will wait and see how he comes through the winter, what the weather is like and all that sort of thing and Dad will talk it over with the owners before anything is decided.
“He clearly stays the mile well, and as he is out of a Galileo mare he’ll probably stay a mile and quarter but you can’t tell from his work at home how far he will stay.”
“He’s got the right way about him. All the horses we’ve had out of the mare (Starship) have had very good minds and he’s the same, very laid back,” Haggas added.
“He never overdoes it at home so you can run them. He’s taking his racing well, looks well and the ground wasn’t bottomless.”
