Double Rush Heads One-two For Charlie Hills At HQ

Double Rush led home one-two for fitness instructor Charlie Hills in the curtain-raising bet365 Handicap on Craven Stakes day at Newmarket.


A winner on the all-weather at Wolverhampton little bit over a fortnight back, Double Rush was a 9-4 preferred to follow up on his handicap debut in the hands of Jason Watson and got the better of stablemate Bob Mali by a length and a quarter.


Hills stated of the winner: "He won his novice effectively in an excellent time at Wolverhampton and I think he's going to be a nice, improving three-year-old through the season.


"Some of our horses weren't right last season, so he had a nice mark truly. He probably didn't manage the track that well today and a flatter track will suit him better.


"There's a valuable handicap at York a week or so before Royal Ascot and we could intend him for that, however we'll see how he improves and take it step by step."


John and Thady Gosden quickly followed up their win in the feature Craven Stakes by saddling Swiss Lightning (2-1 favourite) to take the Rossdales Maiden Fillies' Stakes in determined style.


Double Rush winning the opening race at Newmarket on Wednesday (Mike Egerton/PA)


Making just her 2nd start, the Lordship Stud stud-owned child of Night Of Thunder revealed a remarkable mindset to come out on top in an exhilarating three-way finish.


"We gave her an experience of the racecourse at the end of last year, but it was heavy ground and she didn't like it, she was a bit weak and the jockey looked after her and she has done well today as it wasn't the strategy and there was no pace, it was a messy race - she looked a bit chewy early but settled into it.


"That was over 7 and it really much seemed like we must remain at seven and don't go back to six and not increase to a mile, so we'll have an excellent appearance. I wouldn't wish to hurry her back from that as she's had a tough adequate race, but you have got to more than happy with her.


"She revealed a great attitude since she struck the front, then wasn't sure what she was indicated to be doing, however she didn't give up. Ryan (Moore, on Richard Hannon's runner-up Stellenbosch) had the rail which's a huge benefit with these inexperienced fillies."


Stallion Ten Sovereigns had the one-two in the Live Racing At bet365 Handicap as Harry Charlton's Ten Pounds (5-1) saw off Tom Clover's 5-4 favourite Fifty Nifty in the hands of Trevor Whelan.