THE very tough Bow Creek, yet another relentless galloper trained by Mark Johnston, is still improving and won the Group 2 Doom Bar Celebration Mile in some style at Goodwood on Saturday.

However, after looking like coming home in splendid isolation, the 9/2 chance veered left across the track and it took all of Joe Fanning’s considerable expertise to get him balanced before the line and beat Emell by a length and a half. Captain Cat finished third after being given far too much to do by James Doyle, something the jockey readily admitted afterwards.

A lot of Johnston’s winners lead at a fair gallop, then kick hard again with two furlongs to go. Fanning carries out these tactics to perfection, especially at Goodwood, and this was a superb effort on a horse which has graduated through the ranks and would not be disgraced at the very highest level.

“Joe is on the top of his form but we came here thinking Bow Creek had a great chance and he’s gone and done it,” Johnston said. “He’s had big entries all year and now he’s won a Group 2 he deserves his chance.”

Interestingly, nothing went right for Bow Creek in a Group 3 here last time and he finished behind Hors De Combat. The latter was ridden by Frederik Tylicki, who dawdled out the back this time and was probably trying to follow Captain Cat. Both of them completely misjudged the situation as Fanning dominated and pressed on, and both should be given another chance next time.

Goodwood prize

MARK Johnston may struggle to make any impression at York at the moment but he is red-hot at Goodwood and had already taken the 32Red Stakes, a seven-furlong handicap worth more than £60,000 to the winner, with Almargo.

A regular front-runner, Almargo (16/1) sometimes holds on and sometimes doesn’t but Goodwood, with its sharp right-hand turn, looked perfect for him. Quickly away under Royston Ffrench he hardly saw a rival, keeping nicely clear in the straight and coming home a tidy two lengths in front of fellow northern challenger Rene Mathis, who did well following a tardy start. Magic City kept on well in third but the handicapper has his measure at present.

It was good to see Ffrench, who earns most of his money in Dubai these days, back in the winner’s enclosure after a big handicap triumph.

“He was in a bit of a rut, having a lot of rides for us without winning, but he’s back on song, like he was a few years ago,” Johnston said.

Forever Now: Mark Johnston might easily have had a big-race treble but 15/8 favourite Alex My Boy could not quite reach Forever Now, 4/1, in the Listed Absolute Aesthetics March Stakes over a mile and three-quarters. Fanning blamed himself for anticipating a gap on the far rails, a familiar problem at this course. As it was, William Buick made all on Forever Now, a Galileo colt who held on by a short head and may well take his chance in the Ladbrokes St Leger, although John Gosden was not present to confirm plans. Winning owner Lady Bamford also has Eagle Top, while the yard also houses Derby third Romsdal.

Channon boost: Mick Channon has not had much joy in top-quality races this season but Amralah is going from strength to strength and the juvenile filly Malabar did her bit by winning the Group 3 Whiteley Clinic Prestige Stakes by a length from outsider Bonnie Grey. Malabar, a daughter of Gosden’s brilliant miler Raven’s Pass, was following up her victory at Ascot and is clearly smart. Her 13/8 SP probably owed something to the presence of Richard Hughes, who rode a patient race and then, typically, started to ease down as soon as Malabar had made the decisive thrust.

Willy Twiston-Davies has ridden out his claim and was the unlucky man here, having done a lot of work with the filly at home.