Double Rush Heads One-two For Charlie Hills At HQ

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


A winner on the all-weather at Wolverhampton little over a fortnight ago, 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 Bob Mali by a length and a quarter.


Hills stated of the winner: "He won his amateur very well in a great time at Wolverhampton and I think he's going to be a great, improving three-year-old through the season.


"A few of our horses weren't ideal last season, so he had a great mark really. He probably didn't handle the track that well today and a flatter track will match 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 action."


John and Thady Gosden quickly followed up their win in the function Craven Stakes by saddling Swiss Lightning (2-1 preferred) to take the Rossdales Maiden Fillies' Stakes in figured out fashion.


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


Making simply her second start, the Lordship Stud stud-owned child of Night Of Thunder revealed a tremendous attitude to come out on top in a thrilling three-way surface.


"We offered her an experience of the racecourse at the end of in 2015, however it was heavy ground and she didn't like it, she was a bit weak and the jockey took care of her and she has done well today as it wasn't the plan and there was no speed, it was a messy race - she looked a bit chewy at an early stage but settled into it.


"That was over 7 and it really much felt like we should remain at 7 and don't go back to six and not go up to a mile, so we'll have an excellent look. I would not want to hurry her back from that as she's had a difficult sufficient race, but you have actually got to more than happy with her.


"She revealed an excellent mindset because she struck the front, then wasn't sure what she was suggested to be doing, however she didn't quit. Ryan (Moore, on Richard Hannon's runner-up Stellenbosch) had the rail which's a big benefit with these unskilled fillies."


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