Tag Archive for: Indestructible

Indestructible earns Guineas ticket with Craven success

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Indestructible made the best possible start to life with Karl Burke when winning the bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket – and paid a handsome compliment to Chaldean in the process.

Formerly with Michael O’Callaghan in Ireland, Indestructible was moved to Burke’s stables in Leyburn by owners Amo Racing and the transfer paid an immediate dividend.

The increasingly familiar purple and white Amo silks have enjoyed a stellar week at HQ, with Richard Hannon’s Mammas Girl winning the Nell Gwyn and propelling herself into the 1000 Guineas picture in the process being supplemented by the impressive victory of Persian Dreamer.

Andrew Balding’s Chaldean, due to run in Saturday’s Greenham Stakes at Newbury, beat Indestructible twice last season in the Acomb Stakes at York and the Champagne at Doncaster.

Joined at the head of affairs going into the dip by The Foxes, Indestructible stuck his head down for Kevin Stott and found plenty for pressure while The Foxes – who looked to go a length up a one stage – drifted over to the far rail.

In the end Indestructible ran out a length and a quarter winner, with Dancing Magic staying on for third. Charlie Appleby’s Mysterious Night, sent off the 15-8 favourite, was niggled from some way out and failed to get competitive.

“Thankfully the horses have started to hit form. If you’d been talking to me two weeks ago I was pulling what is left of my hair out, but things have clicked into gear,” said Burke.

“This is a lovely, scopey horse. I got a phone call just before Christmas asking if we’d take him and I’m not going to turn down horses like him.

“We had a couple of niggles with him physically after he arrived, nothing major, but because of those niggles I’m sure he’s having a good blow today and he’ll improve.

“He has worked well, especially in the last two weeks as with each piece of work he did leading into this he worked better each time, so I’m delighted.

“I’d say I’d have to fight Kia (Joorabchian, owner) now not to come back here in two weeks’ time (2000 Guineas). He deserves his chance, I’m sure.”

Balding’s wife, Anna-Lisa, said: “These trials are always a fact-finding mission and for him (The Foxes) he’s run really good and his best days are hopefully ahead of him still over a little bit further.

The Foxes is heading to York
The Foxes is heading to York (Steven Paston/PA)

“For Chaldean, he’s wintered well and Saturday will answer more questions.”

King Power racing manager Alistair Donald said of The Foxes: “We’re delighted. This was always going to be a prep for the Dante and the Derby is the main focus.

“We didn’t want to go to the Dante first time out. Today he’s travelled great, looked like he was going to win the race and just got tired. I think he was a bit lonely out in front there as well.

“It’s quite exciting and we’re perfectly on track for the plan.”

Indestructible another added to growing Greenham list

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Indestructible could renew rivalry with old foe Chaldean in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Kodiac colt Indestructible was beaten half a length when second to Chaldean in the Acomb Stakes at York last summer and filled the runner-up spot behind the same horse in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

Having rounded off his juvenile campaign with Group One success in the Dewhurst Stakes, Chaldean is a leading contender for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and connections have already declared their intention to give him a prep run in the Greenham on April 22.

Indestructible has moved across the Irish Sea during the off-season, leaving Michael O’Callaghan to join North Yorkshire-based Karl Burke, and he too has Newbury as a potential comeback target.

Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for owners Amo Racing, said: “I spoke to Karl about him earlier this week and he’s working very nicely.

“He’s been pencilled in for the Greenham and we’ll make a decision on his Classic participation after that, I suppose.

“Chaldean is going there, as well as Noble Style from what I hear, but if we wanted to be running in a Guineas, we’ve got to be finding out how good he is in these trials.

“The Champagne Stakes form looks good, with the third (Silver Knott) touched off at the Breeders’ Cup.”

Indestructible is one of several Amo Racing-owned three-year-olds to switch yards this winter, with Crypto Force perhaps the most notable.

Crypto Force winning the Beresford Stakes
Crypto Force winning the Beresford Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

An impressive winner of the Group Two Beresford Stakes for O’Callaghan, the Time Test colt is now in Newmarket with John and Thady Gosden.

Crypto Force does not hold a 2000 Guineas entry, but hopes are high that he can make an impact at the highest level in due course.

“He’s cantering away and John is taking it very patiently with him,” Pennington added.

“He’s obviously a high-class horse and hopefully he’ll be out in all those mile or 10-furlong races from the summer onwards.

“Beresford winners tend to be 10-furlong plus horses and he’s by Time Test out of a Galileo mare, so you would think he’ll get a mile and a quarter standing on his head, but John will tell us more when he steps up his work.”

Two three-year-old fillies Pennington is looking forward to seeing in action are Mammas Girl and Magical Sunset, both of whom are trained by Richard Hannon and entered in the 1000 Guineas.

Mammas Girl impressed on her only start to date in a Newmarket maiden in October, while Magical Sunset won three of her five outings as a juvenile including an impressive Listed triumph at Newbury.

Pennington said: “Mammas Girl won on her debut and has all the nice entries. As Richard says, any horse of his that wins first time out tends to be half-decent and I know Richard really likes her.

“We’ve also got Magical Sunset, who won the Radley Stakes at the backend by five lengths. She’s very exciting and both of those fillies will run in trials.”