NEWBURY

ANDREW Balding had a Saturday to remember with his two pattern winners both returned at 20/1. Rosie Briar did the business at Doncaster and tough campaigner Duretto landed the Group 3 Worthington’s OCSL Stakes, the old St Simon, at Newbury.

This was a cracking race, with Kings Fete looking the winner most of the way up the straight. However, runner-up Mountain Bell and Sumbal both challenged, with Duretto finishing best of all for Graham Lee to beat Mountain Bell by half a length with Kings Fete holding third.

Duretto, who pulled too hard last time, was rewarding owner-breeder Lord Blyth, who recently lost two broodmares to haemorrhages, leaving him with just four. Duretto looks as if he will stay beyond a mile and a half.

Ralph Beckett, another in fine form, just missed out with Mountain Bell but he and Fran Berry had completed an early double with Crimson Rock (a good day for sire Fastnet Rock) and 16/1 chance Pleaseletmewin in the Group 3 Worthington’s Group 3 contest formerly known as the Horris Hill. Pleaseletmewin seemed suited by the drop to seven furlongs. He was well on top in the closing stages, beating Kings Gift by over two lengths, but the decision to geld him means a less ambitious programme next year.

Crimson Rock, a newcomer, was pushed wide in the juvenile fillies’ maiden and did well to get up after racing on her own. She is a very interesting prospect indeed.

William Haggas is fairly flying and Cristal Fizz and Frankie Dettori proved just too good for stable-companion Glitter Girl in the JLT Stakes, a modest listed event for two-year-olds.