IT is fair to say Charlie Appleby has led the way for Godolphin this year but Saeed Bin Suroor probably had very little luck with the way the Godolphin youngsters were allocated.

He may well fare better in 2018 but, in the meantime, Best Solution, a three-year-old by Kodiac, cheered him in the opening Worthington’s “Indigo Leisure” Stakes – still known as the St Simon – at Newbury last Saturday.

Appleby’s Frontiersman started 9/2 favourite over the mile and a half trip but has a patchy record this year and weakened after leading to the two-furlong pole. Pat Cosgrave did not send Best Solution on for another furlong but, when he did so, the 6/1 shot readily accounted for Raheen House and Danehill Kodiac.

He seemed more than happy in the soft ground, which was the prevailing going when he went clear in the Lingfield Derby Trial. It was too firm for him in the Derby and this was the first time since Lingfield that things were in his favour. Tommy Burns, travelling manager to Bin Suroor, made the valid point that he was a solid Group 2 horse running in a Group 3. He is likely to go back to Dubai over the winter.

NEBO GETS IT RIGHT

The other Group 3 on the card was the Bathwick Tyres Stakes, formerly known as the Horris Hill, for two-year-olds. After taking on the best juveniles all season, Charlie Hills’ Nebo, 4/1, seized his chance and battled back well for Frankie Dettori to beat Tangled by half a length, with Mythical Magic a close third.

Hills sees the winner as a sprinter for next term although Nebo may well be given his chance in the Greenham over seven furlongs. The disappointment in the race was Mark Johnston’s Dream Today, who finished a good second at Newmarket but dropped out to finish last on easier ground this time.

Dettori quickly made it a double on Simon Crisford’s well-backed 13/8 favourite Century Dream in the 10-furlong handicap, after which Hikmaa took the former Radley Stakes over seven furlongs.

Attracting shrewd bets from 9/2 to 7/2, Ed Vaughan’s filly mastered Shepherd Market inside the final furlong and beat her by three-parts of a length.

This was a welcome opportunity at listed level for jockey Adam Beschizza, who will be hoping Hikmaa takes up a possible Group 3 engagement at Saint-Cloud.