Create Belief steps up in style at Leopardstown

Alan Magee
August 12, 2021 6:30 pm

Royal Ascot winner progresses to Group Three honours.

Create Belief graduated to Pattern-race company in style with victory in the Group Three Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown.

Winner of the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Johnny Murtagh-trained filly has progressed at a rate of knots this season.

Standing in for the suspended Ben Coen, Shane Kelly had her sat close to the pace set by Charterhouse in the mile affair and when asked inside the final furlong the daughter of Awtaad showed a serious turn of foot, shooting clear.

Georgeville closed on the 5-6 favourite at the line, but the race was won by then, with half a length the official margin.

Royal Ascot winner Create Belief takes the step up in grade in her stride!
Last seen winning the Sandringham impressively, @JohnnyMurtagh‘s charge strikes in the G3 @InvescoLtd Desmond Stakes @LeopardstownRC 👏 pic.twitter.com/E261RFPIDo

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 12, 2021

Murtagh said: “She came out of Ascot really well. This is a big step up and you want to see can she run to 110 (rating).

“There wasn’t much pace in the race, she was a little bit wide all the way, but Shane said he rode her like the best filly in the race.

“He said she quickened up and put the race to bed and then idled a little bit. When she gets to the front she thinks she has enough done, but I’m delighted with that.

“I’ll speak to Sheikh Fahad and the team. She’s in the Matron (Stakes, Irish Champions Weekend) and it looks the obvious next step for her.”

He added: “People are talking about the ground for her, but if she couldn’t go on that ground today we were in trouble. It’s on the slow side of good.

Celebration time for connections of Create Belief (PA)

“She does handle extreme ground well when other horses don’t, but he said she felt very comfortable on that ground today.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Shane. He came to me earlier this year and said where do I fit in? I said you’re second jockey and Ben is first.

“Ben is suspended so these are pressure rides for Shane, but I have faith in him. He’s been around a long time now. He’s served his time, works very hard in the yard and he’s never let me down once. He knows the horses well and he’s solid.”

Ryan Moore returns victorious aboard Interpretation (PA)

Interpretation is another horse going the right way and he made it three in a row for the campaign with a gutsy success in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo colt led from the start, closely attended throughout by Fernando Vichi.

The latter really pushed the even-money favourite and at one stage looked like he might get on top, but Ryan Moore’s mount found more and prevailed by a length and three-quarters over the St Leger trip of a mile and three-quarters.

Moore said: “He has a super attitude and is very uncomplicated. He keeps galloping but he would have been very comfortable even coming back in trip today.

“That was the slowest ground he’s ran on this year, but he handled it well.”

Limiti Di Greccio made a winning start for Paddy Twomey in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Sent off at 7-2, the daughter of Elzaam had shown promise in two runs for John Kinsella and looks to have a bright future.

Twomey said: “I’m delighted she won and it’s very unlike me to run one only having her such a short time, but she’s an absolute credit to Johnny Kinsella who trained her before.

“She never missed a beat and did everything right since she came into our place. He gave me great confidence the day I collected her that this would happen.

“I hope she is going to be a stakes filly going forward and I decided that if she was going to be that she would have to come here and win today.

“She’s out of Galileo mare and she should get a mile in time. I’d imagine she will come back here for the Ingabelle on Champions Weekend and I will be getting to know her between now and then.”

Limiti Di Greccio could meet Tut Tut in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes after the Jessica Harrington-trained filly took the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said of the 5-2 winner: “We might come back here on Champions Weekend. The same syndicate won it before (in 2018) with Sparkle’n’joy.

“The syndicate have some nice horses this year and hopefully will have a bit of fun with them.”