bet365 Craven Stakes report, reaction and free video replay: Indestructible wins on debut for Karl Burke

The big-hitting operation headed up by football super-agent Kia Joorabchian landed Wednesday's Nell Gwyn Stakes - the principal trial for next month's 1000 Guineas - with 16/1 shot Mammas Girl and followed up with another small surprise courtesy of Indestructible at 8/1.

Trained last year in Ireland by Michael O'Callaghan, the son of Kodiac twice finished second to Andrew Balding's big 2000 Guineas hope Chaldean, in the Acomb at York and the Champagne at Doncaster, and he duly gave that form another positive nudge by beating the Balding-trained The Foxes by a length and a quarter on his first run of the season and first start for North Yorkshire handler Karl Burke.

Third went to Dancing Magic at 12/1, while the disappointment of the race was Charlie Appleby's Mysterious Night, who finished last of the seven runners as the 15/8 favourite.

Sky Bet reacted by cutting Indestructible to 20/1 from 100/1 for the 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket on Saturday May 6, with Betfair and Paddy Power going 14/1 from the same price.

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Burke said: “That was brilliant. The horses have hit form at just the right time. If you would have been talking to me two weeks ago I would have been tearing what is left of my hair out but things have clicked into gear.

“He is a lovely scopey horse. He had a couple little of niggles when he arrived physically but nothing major. He has worked well, but because of those little niggles, and I’m sure Kevin will say the same that he has had a good blow today and he will come on.

“He had been working very well, especially the last two weeks. Each piece of work he has done leading into this he worked better each time. I’m delighted.

“For sure (the wind op helped). It was on a cauterization, it wasn’t anything major but our vets felt it would help him and I’m sure they are right.

“I didn’t have him last year but I’ve watched all the replays. I imagine the deep ground didn’t suit him when he was second at Doncaster. I’d say I would have to fight Kia not to send him back here in two weeks’ time, but I’m sure he deserves his chance.

“This is the only horse (I’ve got for Amo Racing) at the moment, but we’ve had a couple of horses for them over the last few seasons. It is shame for connections who had him last year but I got a phone call just before Christmas asking if I would take him and I’m not going to down horses like him.

“Who knows what Aidan (O’Brien) will bring over. We will digest this and see how he comes out of it but I would be very surprised if he doesn’t come back here in two weeks."

Victory might have eluded The Foxes, on his return to action, but connections of the Balding-trained colt were more than happy with the outcome.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to owners King Power Racing, said: “We are delighted with that as this was always going to be a prep for the Dante and the Derby has been the main focus with him all along.

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

“The full-sister goes two miles so it is quite exciting for the future. They have pulled a long way clear of the others and we are on track for the plan.

“Initially, we were thinking the Dante first time up but he done that before with a horse and they were too fresh so we wanted to have a run under the belt before we go to the Dante. He is much more relaxed than Bangkok. He was quite an awkward ride whereas this guy is super relaxed and he should stay, whereas Bangkok was a 10 furlong horse."

Among those set to take on The Foxes in the Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes will be third-placed Dancing Magic after his trainer Roger Teal earmarked a trip to York on May 18 will be next up for the Camelot colt.

Teal said: “He deserves to be winning races as he has never ever let us down. He was a bit unfortunate not to break his maiden tag last year as he got mugged on the line at Newbury. I’m delighted with him.

“Kieran (Shoemark, jockey) rode him out at home and said he worked a bit lazy but I said all the good horses at home are lazy. Kieran said he could have probably gone a bit quicker but he was coming back up the hill.

“I think what we will do now is go to the Dante, and if we were to pick that trophy up we would go for the French Derby."

Timeform view - by David Cleary

The Craven Stakes saw Indestructible emerge as a plausible 2000 Guineas candidate.

Having had a breathing operation since last year and moved to Karl Burke's yard, Indestructible showed excellent battling qualities to see off the challenge of The Foxes.

Always close up in a race run in an ordinary time, Indestructible looked as if he would come off second best a furlong out, but kept a truer line than the runner-up and drew away late on. The underwhelming effort of the favourite Mysterious Night and that the once-raced Mostabshir performed as he looked, in need of the run, meant the race took less winning than seemed likely.

Looking at the race beforehand, it needed the sort of clearcut victory that Indestructible achieved to make much of a dent in the Guineas market. Although six of the seven Craven runners are entered for the first Classic, none was at shorter than 25/1 beforehand, Indestructible himself a 100/1 chance.

While this represents a fair bit of improvement on Indestructible's part, he looks no more than an average winner of this trial and quotes of around 14/1 for the Guineas seem about right.

His win could also be taken as a pointer towards Chaldean's chance in two weeks' time. Chaldean had got the better of Indestructible in both the Acomb and the Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.

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