It would be quite a story should Cosmic Crusader win the $1.5 million Group 1 Northerly Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
It’s been nothing short of an emotional roller-coaster ride in recent times for the connections of this Michael Grantham trained son of Maurice who, for some time, was the pre-race favourite for the Group 1 Railway Stakes with all of the sense of anticipation that brings … but that particular dream disappeared a week early when Cosmic Crusader finished a close-up third in the R J Peters, a race he had to win to secure a place in the Railway Stakes lineup.
Seven days later Cosmic Crusader was indeed a winner on Railway Stakes day, but that result came in the Carbine Club Stakes which, while satisfying in itself, was arguably really little more than a consolation prize and a bitter/sweet victory.
Now, on Saturday, Cosmic Crusader is back in the big time at the elite level, and the team will be intent on setting the record straight.
But the gelding does appear to have some ground to make up.
The five-year-old, who is a seven-time winner from only fifteen starts, finished third in Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes three runs back, coming home only 0.28 lengths behind the winner Watch Me Rock over 1400m, who went on to win the Railway Stakes.
Cosmic Crusader carried 3kg less than Watch Me Rock that day and now meets his conqueror at 3kg worse terms … now at level weights … and, while he might be better suited to the longer 1800m trip, there is seemingly still a mountain to climb there, but the fact that Cosmic Crusader was initially held in such high esteem heading towards the Railways Stakes could be taken as a pointer … or not … but it is a fact that should not be dismissed lightly.
And that respect for Cosmic Crusader is again very in play in Saturday’s betting markets where, as a $6 chance, Cosmic Crusader is the only runner bar the unbeaten, clear-cut favourite King Of Light ($2.35), to be quoted at odds under $9.
There is a warning in there somewhere.
