By Tom Frary
Beaten twice by Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at two but evidently unbowed, the aptly-named Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}–Shareva {Ire}, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) marked his debut for the Karl Burke stable with a win in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. to continue Amo Racing's strong start to the current campaign on Thursday. Able to get into some kind of fight with Andrew Balding's leading 2000 Guineas hope in York's G3 Acomb S., he was put in his place when last seen in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September but re-emerged to underline the strength of that peer and further his own case for the imminent course-and-distance Classic.
Keen early for Kevin Stott, the 8-1 shot who was trained by Michael O'Callaghan as a juvenile pulled his way to the front after the first two furlongs with another Balding runner in The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) tracking his every move away from the remainder. Tackled by that G2 Royal Lodge S. winner heading towards the dip, the bay pulled out more to gain the upper hand in the last 150 yards and score by 1 1/4 lengths, with Dancing Magic (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths further behind in third and Godolphin's 15-8 favourite Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) a disappointing last of the seven.
“This is a lovely, scopey horse,” Burke said. “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. I'd say I'd have to fight Kia [Joorabchian] now not to come back here in two weeks' time. He deserves his chance, I'm sure.”
King Power's racing manager Alistair Donald said of The Foxes, “This was always going to be a prep for the Dante and the Derby is the main focus. 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.”
Pedigree Notes
Indestructible's dam Shareva was a fairly fast maiden herself, although her Aga Khan family offers the usual element of stamina to complement the speed influence of Kodiac. She is a daughter of Shareen (Ire) (Bahri), who was successful in the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. before producing the dual G2 Blandford S. scorer Shamreen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who is in turn the dam of last year's G2 Railway S. winner and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Phoenix S. third Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Shareva, who is also a half to the G3 Singspiel S. scorer Shahroze (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), has a 2-year-old full-sister to the winner who was sold for 320,000gns to Cheveley Park Stud at the Book 2 Sale and is now named Summit (Ire), while her yearling filly is by Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN S.-G3, £80,000, Newmarket, 4-20, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:39.78, gd.
1–INDESTRUCTIBLE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Shareva (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire)
2nd Dam: Shareen (Ire), by Bahri
3rd Dam: Sharesha (Ire), by Ashkalani (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (55,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €150,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Amo Racing Limited; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Kevin Stott. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $135,087. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 128, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £17,200.
3–Dancing Magic (Ire), 128, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Poisson d'Or (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire).
1ST GROUP TYPE. O-Fishdance Ltd; B-Fishdance (IRE); T-Roger Teal. £8,608.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 8.00, 2.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Ancestral Land (GB), Mostabshir (GB), Mr Mistoffelees (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire). Scratched: Naval Power (GB). VIDEO.
A huge week for @amoracingltd continues!
Indestructible (8-1) fends off The Foxes to win the bet365 Craven Stakes at @NewmarketRace for @karl_burke and Kevin Stott
A nice form boost for Chaldean, too pic.twitter.com/ZDG6X376Ie
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 20, 2023
Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN S.-G3, £80,000, Newmarket, 4-20, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:39.78, gd.
1–INDESTRUCTIBLE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Shareva (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire)
2nd Dam: Shareen (Ire), by Bahri
3rd Dam: Sharesha (Ire), by Ashkalani (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (55,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €150,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Amo Racing Limited; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Kevin Stott. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $135,087. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 128, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £17,200.
3–Dancing Magic (Ire), 128, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Poisson d'Or (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire).
1ST GROUP TYPE. O-Fishdance Ltd; B-Fishdance (IRE); T-Roger Teal. £8,608.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 8.00, 2.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Ancestral Land (GB), Mostabshir (GB), Mr Mistoffelees (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire). Scratched: Naval Power (GB).
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