Cracksman delights John Gosden with Newmarket workout

A relaxed Cracksman after his spin at Newmarket

Cracksman delighted his connections in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket before racing on Tuesday.

The son of Frankel was a brilliant seven-length winner of the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October on Champions Day and limbered up for the months ahead with a gallop over a mile with stablemate Master Singer.

Asked by Frankie Dettori to quicken up going into the dip, Cracksman readily pulled away. He is likely to reappear in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp on Sunday week.

Trainer John Gosden said: “He was very relaxed. Frankie was pleased with him in every way. He hadn’t been away since Ascot in October but I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“He was very switched off in the work. Coming to three (furlongs) out, Frankie thought he better just go on and catch the other horse just to keep his concentration and he picked up beautifully, finishing out very well.

“He’s had a healthy blow so I couldn’t be more pleased. He’s grown a lot. Last year he was like a 14-year-old kid in the Derby. Now, he’s more like a solid 24-year-old.

“The hope is ParisLongchamp, if the French let us over. If not, it will be here for the Jockey Club.

“I think it’s important that the horse tells you (where to go). If we are happy, though, the Arc will be a huge target, with races along the way like the King George.

“If he’s happy and well there’s no reason we can’t target those good races.”

Mark Johnston’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas candidate Elarqam also went through his paces with two stable companions of the same age. Unbeaten as a two-year-old, he was ridden by his owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s retained jockey Jim Crowley.

Elarqam is certainly bred for the job, being by Frankel and out of Johnston’s multiple Group One winner Attraction, and will now head straight for the colts’ Classic back at Newmarket on May 5 – the first race in this year’s Champions Series.

Charlie Johnston, the Middleham handler’s son and assistant, said: “We’re very happy. We weren’t here to find out how good he is – it was purely exercise and another away day for him.

“He’s still very lightly raced so we just wanted to get him away from him and have a dry run for the Guineas.”