Newmarket preview: Craven Stakes (16:05)

This year’s renewal of the Craven Stakes has a very wide open look to it, and White Lake is taken to provide trainer Luca Cumani with his first winner of the 1m Group 3 contest (16:05).

The colt has only had two starts as a juvenile and looked a smart prospect when defying odds of 25/1 to score on his debut at York in the most valuable maiden in the calender.

After being held-up towards the rear, White Lake made smooth headway two from home before being ridden to take up the running at the furlong marker to win going away by two lengths from Secret Brief.

The runner-up is a smart sort who went on two win his next three races, including two valuable sales races at Newmarket, and the pair pulled 3 1/4 lengths clear of the third to give the form a solid look.

It was a very taking performance by White lake, and one which saw him sent off the heavily-backed 8/11 favourite to land a 7f Listed contest at Doncaster.

White Lake kept on from off the pace to finish a 1/2 length fourth of seven to Nafaqa, showing distinct signs of inexperience but sticking to the task well.

It was a performance which suggested the son of Pivotal had the potential to do far better as a three-year-old, and the step up in trip today looks sure to suit.

Nafaqa is an obvious danger again in this Newmarket contest, as he went on to finish an excellent runner-up to Elm Park in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot after beating the selection at Doncaster.

That form sets the standard, but the Barry Hills trained colt had the benefit two runs when beating White Lake and I am not convinced that he has as much scope for improvement as that rival.