Caerwent (horse)

Caerwent made his racecourse debut at Phoenix Park Racecourse in August when he started odds-on favourite in a five-runner field for the Charles Heidsieck Champagne Stakes over six furlongs. He took the lead a furlong from the finish and drew away from his rivals to win by three lengths from Demon Magic. The form of the race was franked when the runner-up won the Futurity Stakes in September. Caerwent was stepped up in class and distance for the Group 1 National Stakes over seven furlongs on soft ground at the Curragh on 12 September and was made the 9/10 favourite. His five opponents were Acajou and Gerrnas from England, Wagon Load (winner of the Orby Stakes), Project Manager (Tyros Stakes) and the 25/1 outsider Ballygarry Prince. Ridden by the American jockey Cash Asmussen, Caerwent went to the front approaching the final furlong and "stormed clear" to win by five lengths from Acajou.[3]

In the official International Classification of European two-year-olds for 1987, Caerwent was rated the joint fifth best colt of the year and the best juvenile trained in Ireland. The independent Timeform organisation gave him a rating of 123p (the "p" indicating that he was expected to make more than usual progress) making him six pounds inferior to Warning, who was their top-rated two-year-old.[3]

Caerwent began his second campaign in the Listed Harp Lager 2000 Guineas Trial over seven furlongs at Phoenix Park on 2 April. Ridden by John Reid he started at odds of 4/9 and won by a length from Saxon Cottage.[7] Four weeks later the still unbeaten colt was sent to England and started the 4/1 second favourite for the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley mile at Newmarket Racecourse but came home fifth of the nine runners behind Doyoun, Charmer, Bellefella and Aiglefin. In the Irish 2000 Guineas on 14 May, Caerwent was made the 6/1 third choice in the betting and looked likely to win after taking the lead inside the final furlong only to be caught on the line and beaten a neck by his stablemate Prince of Birds.[8]

In June Caerwent was sent to England for the second time to contest the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished third to Persian Heights and Raykour, with Blushing John and Prince of Birds in fourth and fifth. On 2 July the colt was dropped in class and matched against older horses in the Group 2 Lanes End International Stakes over one mile at Phoenix Park. With Reid in the saddle he started the 4/6 favourite and won by one and a half lengths from the British-trained four-year-old Just A Flutter.[9] He was back in England later that month for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse, but after reaching third place in the straight he came home sixth of the nine runners behind Warning.

For his last two races of the year, Caerwent was dropped back in distance to compete in sprint races. In the Vernons Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock Park on 3 September he finished third behind Dowsing and Silver Fling despite hanging badly to the left in the closing stages. The colt ended his racing career in the Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in October. He finished third behind Cadeaux Genereux and Handsome Sailor but was promoted to second place when Cadeaux Genereux was disqualified for causing interference early in the race.[10]