INDESTRUCTIBLE (107) landed the feature race of the opening three days of the Newmarket season in determined style, although the data reveals Karl Burke’s new acquisition will need to step up on his pleasing Group 3 Craven Stakes success to figure in the Qipco 2000 Guineas next weekend.

The Group 3 contest was truly run courtesy of Dancing Magic, although Roger Teal’s colt was no help to Kevin Stott aboard the winner as he was forced to race without cover in the early stages; a factor, which combined with a tendency to drift across the track when in front, detracted from the finishing effort of the Amo Racing-owned colt.

In covering the final three furlongs in 36.17secs, the son of Kodiac was only quicker on the day than Harry Magnus (95), who covered the same ground in 36.77secs to win the 0-80 handicap.

At the opposite end of the scale, Garrus (100+) was quickest through the closing stages as he finished off in 34.18secs to go one place better than last year in winning the Group 3 Abernant Stakes.

It will be a surprise if there aren’t a handful of runners finishing quicker than Karl Burke’s colt in the season’s opening classic.

The Foxes (106) threatened briefly, before fading in the final furlong. Andrew Balding’s three-year-old will improve for stepping up in trip, a comment which can also be applied to Dancing Magic (104).

Embracing the Abernant as a guide suggests the opening three-year-old handicap looks a contest to follow, with the winner Once More For Luck (111+), in particular, a pattern class performer in the making.

Quicker

A straight comparison of the overall race times shows the 0-100 contest to be quicker by 2.48secs which was largely due to the slow opening furlong in the contest for older horses.

However, Ismail Mohammed’s colt was not the quickest away himself and still covered the remaining five furlongs quicker than Garrus.

Rider Benoit De La Sayette only required hands and heels to assume command, issuing just a couple of gentle reminders to seal an impressive victory when in the clear. The three-year-old stopped the clock at a rapid 34.8secs for his closing sectional.

Although little match for the winner, Yacowlef (108) showed plenty on seasonal debut as he completed his race in 35.37secs. The Paul and Oliver Cole-trained colt should have little trouble in landing a similar event, either over the same trip or a furlong further.

Although fit from the all-weather, there may still be more to come from the third Shouldvebeenaring (107) on turf.

Young apprentice Alec Voikhansky was forced to wait for gaps to mount a challenge and, once in the clear, Middleham Park’s progressive three-year-old covered the final three furlongs in 35.49secs.

Sir Michael Stoute has begun the turf season in a rich vein of form and the maestro trainer recorded a double with Passenger (92+) and Prepense (90+), both of which look to be set for a much higher grade.

Passenger was the most impressive of the two through the closing stages as he stopped the clock at 34.92secs for his closing sectional, while Prepense finished off in 35.68secs to hold the late challenge of Spring Dawn (89+) who ran home in the same time. All three qualify for a tracker entry.