2012 Duke of York Stakes

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Society Rock Makes Successful York Return
15/05/13

1 Society Rock 10/1
2 Lethal Force 16/1
3 Gordon Lord Byron 7/1
NR: Jimmy Styles
17 ran Distances: hd, 1¼l, nse
TIME 1m 11.44s (slow by 1.04s)

Kieren Fallon continued his great run of recent form by driving home Society Rock in the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes on the Knavesmire.

Society Rock
© Racehorse Photos

After struggling to get his mount into the stalls, Fallon managed to get the notoriously slow starter away on a par with the rest of the field.

Lethal Force travelled with great purpose and always looked like playing a hand in the finish, but Society Rock (10-1) passed him inside the final furlong. Lethal Force came back at James Fanshawe's sprinter at the line and only a head separated them, with Gordon Lord Byron back in third.

Fallon said: "Things went wrong for me. Drawn 18 I couldn't get too much cover and I got there too soon. He was going to walk straight in (to the stalls). He was as good as gold but his shoulder hit the sidebar and spooked him. Other than that, he would have been fine.

"I didn't know if I had won. The other horse (Lethal Force) was bearing down on me and you never know."

Fanshawe said: "I always hold my breath when he's in the stalls because he lost his chance at Royal Ascot last year and it's half the battle with him. He's done a lot of work at home and he's going to be an exciting horse this season. He likes Ascot and that (the Diamond Jubilee) will be his next race."

Society Rock is again likely to lock horns with Lethal Force and Gordon Lord Byron in the six-furlong Group One on Ascot 22.

Clive Cox, trainer of runner-up Lethal Force, said: "He ran a super race. He's been going so well at home that we left the blinkers off and it didn't make any difference. He has made so much improvement from three to four and he'll go for the Diamond Jubilee.

Gordon Lord Byron's trainer Tom Hogan said: "He could have done with a bit more company, but he's done well and he'll go for the Diamond Jubilee, but I might enter him over longer distances later on."

The well-backed 7-2 favourite Maarek was slowly away and could never get on terms, but still managed to finish well into fifth.

Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (Group 2)
£100,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1
17 ran
Going: Good to soft, good in places