WILLIAM Haggas scored an across-the-card four-timer on Saturday, of which two of his winners came at his beloved York, with Dal Harraild and Theydon Grey impressive winners on the Knavesmire.

A very tough campaigner, Dal Harraild led a furlong out and galloped clear to beat Nakeeta easily in the Listed weddingmates.co.uk Grand Cup over a mile and three-quarters.

He stayed the extra distance well and looks a major player in the big Cup races, with Haggas not dismissing the possibility of going for the Gold Cup at Ascot.

Paul Hanagan rode the winner, showing that the split with Hamdan Al Maktoum was amicable, but Georgia Cox partnered Theydon Grey in the Join Club Godolphin Handicap on what was a memorable day for the Cox family.

She is one of the best female riders in the country and nursed and cajoled Theydon Grey (5/1) to a neck victory over Chancery without using the stick, Maureen Haggas having assured her that the horse would ignore it anyway.

TO THE SWORD

The Easterbys – brothers Mick and Peter, and now Peter’s son Tim – have always been very clever in sprint handicaps. Tim’s Copper Knight had fairly bolted in at Chester, never seeing a rival, and was put up 8lb for his pains.

However, the talented Rachel Richardson claimed 3lb back and soon had him out and clear in the valuable Unibet Sprint Stakes.

Always in front on the far side, Copper Knight beat stable companion Rasheeq by just over a length and may well be worth a try outside handicap company.

BACK IN THE GROOVE

Second Step, a six-year-old formerly with Luca Cumani, was moved to Roger Charlton after a longish spell in the doldrums. Back on song, he fulfilled the promise of a good Newbury effort when just holding the penalised Desert Encounter in the five-runner Listed Matchbook Tapster Stakes over a mile and a half at Goodwood.

Given a patient ride by Jamie Spencer, the winner hit the front just inside the final furlong as Desert Encounter, coming from last, loomed up on the outside. The 3lb made the difference as the runner-up hit the front but could not quite cling on as Second Step battled on to score by half a length.

“He needs his races spaced out and it’s nice to see an old horse come back to being a fighter,” Charlton said.

FIRST SITTING, FIRST RUN

The other listed event on the card, the Betting Exchange Festival Stakes over 10 furlongs, sponsored by Matchbook, went to Chris Wall’s First Sitting. In front for Gerald Mosse soon after passing the three-furlong pole, First Sitting (16/1) clearly got first run and just held on as Cambridgeshire winner Spark Plug surged down the outside to be beaten a nose. He can win at this level but trainer Brian Meehan tends to go long spells without a winner. Maybe this is a turning point.

THREE MORE FOR ATZENI

Andrea Atzeni warmed up for his winning ride on Decorated Knight at the Curragh, by riding a treble on Madeline, Sutter County and Alan King’s Ebor prospect Top Tug.

William Haggas won a weak-looking maiden at the end with Contentment, making it four on the day after his Victoria Cup winner Fastnet Tempest, 5/6 favourite, won another valuable handicap at Chester, thereby giving himself every chance of a place in the Royal Hunt Cup.

While Galileo can produce the odd classic winner here and there, he is no slouch either when it comes to the totetrifecta Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.

His seven-year-old son Heist, 20lbs lower over hurdles than fences, won last Saturday’s renewal for Dublin-based trainer Pat Griffin and 7lb claimer Adam Short, beating Still Believing by a couple of lengths after Benenden had come down at the seventh.

There were three non-runners and only three left standing but 11/4 was sweet enough for his backers and, a rather more remunerative than the 4/9 about Churchill.