Creative a real Force to be reckoned with in the Sprint
LAST year’s winner CREATIVE FORCE is bidding to make it back-to-back victories in the Champions Sprint (2.00pm).
He has been lightly raced this season, running only twice, when going down by a neck at Royal Ascot and then when finishing fourth in the July Cup the following month.
On both those occasions he finished in front of several of the rivals he faces here, and, with soft ground conditions likely to bring out a better performance from this son of Dubawi, he looks the one to beat.
While his draw in stall 13 could have been kinder, he’s close to many of the other fancied runners and that should remove any potential bias towards the lower draws.
Another horse who will thrive in the likely conditions is Ralph Beckett’s KINROSS.
An impressive winner of the Group One Prix de la Foret at the beginning of the month, he has mainly been campaigned over seven furlongs and has made only a handful of starts over this trip.
One of those came this summer when finishing eighth of 24 behind Creative Forceat Royal Ascot, which was a good effort considering the ground was firmer than ideal for him.
A softer surface will bring his stamina into play, especially with the uphill Ascot finish, and he should be seen finishing strongly.
Things haven’t gone CASTLE STAR’s way in two runs over five furlongs this season, but he’s one who could be primed for a big run on his return to this trip.
He could never get into the race last time in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh and should find this race sets up better for him.
POINTERS
Creative Force 2.00pm Ascot
Castle Star win and place 2.00pm Ascot
Creative Force, Kinross and Castle Star 2.00pm Ascot
(World Pool Quinella)