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 bit over a fortnight back, Double Rush was a 9-4 preferred to act on his handicap launching in the hands of Jason Watson and overcame stablemate Bob Mali by a length and a quarter.


Hills said of the winner: "He won his beginner really well in a good time at Wolverhampton and I think he's going to be a nice, improving three-year-old through the season.


"A few of our horses weren't right last season, so he had a good mark really. 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 approximately before Royal Ascot and we might aim him for that, however we'll see how he enhances and take it step by step."


John and quickly followed up their win in the function Craven Stakes by saddling Swiss Lightning (2-1 favourite) 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 just her 2nd start, the Lordship Stud stud-owned daughter of Night Of Thunder revealed a remarkable mindset to come out on top in an exhilarating three-way surface.


"We offered 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 cared for her and she has done well today as it wasn't the plan and there was no rate, it was an unpleasant race - she looked a bit chewy early on but settled into it.


"That was over 7 and it quite felt like we need to remain at seven and do not go back to six and not go up to a mile, so we'll have a great appearance. I would not wish to hurry her back from that as she's had a difficult sufficient race, however you have got to more than happy with her.


"She showed a great mindset since she hit the front, then wasn't sure what she was suggested to be doing, however she didn't offer up. Ryan (Moore, on Richard Hannon's runner-up Stellenbosch) had the rail which's a big advantage with these inexperienced 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 favourite Fifty Nifty in the hands of Trevor Whelan.