DUAL-PURPOSE trainer Ian Williams added further to his laurels with a fine double here.

A narrow winner at the previous meeting, First Assignment found this higher grade very much to his liking and fully justified the steady flow of money which brought his price down to 6/4 favourite in the Regulatory Finance Solutions Handicap Hurdle.

Always within striking distance of the leaders, Tom O’Brien brought him through to lead before two out, sending him clear to beat Boyhood by nine lengths with Goodbye Dancer third. He could run again quite soon.

“Yes, and we’ll have a look at the Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Haydock next week but he’s not the most robust horse that you can have a real go with,” the trainer said.

SPEEDO SPEEDS HOME

Williams and O’Brien soon followed up when Speedo Boy, easier to back at 4/1 joint-favourite, was favoured by the decision to omit hurdles in the straight because of the low sun and won the BetVictor Intermediate Handicap Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Using his flat speed, he was going best turning in and led a furlong out, doing just enough to foil Mahlervous by a length, well though the 28/1 shot stuck to the task.

“He won’t go in deep ground and we need the handicapper to be kind,” Williams said.