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A fond farewell to Creative Force - I'll never forget the day I met the Godolphin ace

Prize guy; David Milnes (left) with Creative Force and Racing Post managing editor Tony Smurthwaite in 2021
Prize guy; David Milnes (left) with Creative Force and Racing Post managing editor Tony Smurthwaite in 2021

The death of Creative Force at York last week cast a great sadness in the Milnes household.

My bond with the horse began when he was the crucial winner who got me over the line for the first (and very probably last) time ever in the Racing Post/Coral naps competition in 2021. His career highlight Group 1 win in the British Champions Sprint at 11-2 helped secure the prize by just 49p on Champions Day at Ascot.

In previous years, the presentation of the cheque and trophy would have involved a bit of pomp and ceremony on Racing Post Trophy day at Doncaster the following week, but by 2021 that sponsorship had changed and the trophy had gone missing, apparently left on a train by a previous winner and never recovered.

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David MilnesNewmarket correspondent

Published on 25 May 2023inPostcard from Newmarket

Last updated 15:31, 25 May 2023

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