Guineas day support races: Creative Force and Bell Rock take plaudits

Creative Force will have his sights raised after claiming a third victory from four career starts at Newmarket.

Impressive on his racecourse debut on the Rowley Mile last season, the Dubawi colt disappointed on his only subsequent juvenile appearance in the the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, having been gelded during the off-season, Charlie Appleby’s charge made a winning reappearance at the Craven meeting last month and was the 4-5 favourite to follow up in the Read Ryan Moore On Betting Betfair Handicap.

William Buick’s mount travelled strongly for much of the six-furlong contest and picked up well once meeting the rising ground to keep Perotto at bay by a length.

Appleby said: “He’s progressive and we’ll try to step up into a bit of black type now.

“Unfortunately the Commonwealth Cup (at Royal Ascot) isn’t an option because he’s got no undercarriage!

“He’s very professional and travels well and he’s honest.

“I haven’t got any immediate plans, but as William says, he deserves a crack at a Group race now.”

Bell chimes again

Apprentice William Carver celebrated his first success on the Rowley Mile with victory on Bell Rock in the “My Oddsboost” On Betfair Suffolk Stakes, a handicap over nine furlongs.

Returned at 13-2, the five year old son of Kingman prevailed after a sustained duel with Maydanny in the final furlong, finishing two and a half lengths clear. Sixth in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot, a return to Berkshire next month is the plan for Bell Rock following his success.

Carver, 21, said: “He’s travelled really well throughout the race and we always had something to aim at with Maydanny in front there, but he’s really gone through the gears really well.

“Sometimes he just hits a flat spot at the two furlong pole, but he went through really nicely and he’s done it well in the end. I’d say if something came to him he would have gone again, so I’m absolutely delighted.

“It’s my first winner on the Rowley Mile. I’ve had a winner on the July Course but that’s my first here. It’s a big day to do it and I’m really pleased to do it for Andrew and the Hays (owners Jim and Fitri Hay) who have been great to me.”

Winning trainer Andrew Balding said of Bell Rock: “He loves it here. I think he’s won three and he was third in the Cambridgeshire, so we’re really pleased and Will gave him a lovely ride. He’ll be in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot but he could possibly go up to a mile and a quarter for the Wolferton Stakes.”

Mark Johnston, trainer of second home Maydanny, said: “It was a very good run. He was a bit fresh early on and a bit keen which didn’t help him.

“You are almost watching it expecting him to fold but he stayed on all the way to the line and was only beaten by one. Although he has won over a mile and a quarter Jim (Crowley) said you could come back to a mile so we could look at the Hunt Cup. He loves this fast ground and is in good order.”

A further three quarters of a length back in third was Godolphin’s Dubai Legacy. His trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: “He ran well and Frankie Dettori was happy with him. He said he could go further so we might look at going a mile and a quarter next time. We will hopefully have some fun with him this season and he could be one for Royal Ascot.”