Darren Beadman notched a training double at Canterbury
It was business as usual for Darren Beadman at Canterbury as he notched another training double, a day after it was confirmed his tenure as Godolphin’s head trainer will be short-lived.
Beadman had two winners at his first meeting as a licensed trainer at Canterbury on May 10 and he repeated that feat on Wednesday as debutant Beau Geste and Ghostly recorded comfortable victories.
The former champion jockey appeared relaxed following confirmation Tuesday that James Cummings would join the global operation in July.
Beadman, who reverts to the assistant role he occupied alongside John O’Shea until his resignation last month, said he welcomed Cummings’ appointment.
“I’m really looking forward to working with James,” Beadman said.
Beau Geste ($7) won the card-opening Vinery Handicap (1100m) by two lengths after passing fellow debutant Last Starfighter ($13) and Winds of Change ($3.80), who was another three-quarters of a length away third.
“He’s a lovely colt, he’s not an overly big framed colt, but he’s got a good engine,” Beadman said.
“The soft gate (1) helped him because he was able to posse up nice and rest mid-race. He showed a nice turn of foot.”
Jockey Brenton Avdulla was impressed after his first dealings with the two-year-old.
“I don’t know much about him but it always takes a pretty talented horse to only have one trial and go to the races and win against horses that have had a couple of starts,” he said.
“He’s still got some developing to do but he handled himself pretty well. Once I got him round the bend and balanced him up he put them away like a nice horse.”
Ghostly was even more emphatic in the benchmark 70 Ranvet Handicap (1250m) giving Avdulla a relatively smooth ride before he hit the line 3-1/4 lengths clear of Aquatic ($8).
The $2.60 favourite Forever Dream was a further length third.
“He got a little bit lost out in front but when I gave him a jab on the point of the bend he really quickened well,” Avdulla said.
Beadman said the three-year-old gelding had “a touch of brilliance about him” and would continue to be guided through the grades, with no specific race targeted.
