SPRING BREEZE made an impressive start to his four-year-old campaign with a dazzling pillar-to-post victory at Catterick yesterday.

Trainer Michael Dods had left readers of our recent pull-out, Racing North, in little doubt that his horse had improved over the winter, and Spring Breeze did not let the side down by making every yard of the running under an enterprising ride by Philip Makin.

Backed down to 13-2 favouritism, Makin kicked his horse into a long lead and by the halfway stage of the two-mile contest the combination were fully ten lengths clear of their rivals in the Ladies Night Handicap.

It was a bold ploy and although Spring Breeze did begin to tie up near to the finish, he still had enough in hand to see off the opposition in the closing stages.

"The others gave him too much of a head start, plus Philip gave him a lovely ride," said winning owner, John Blackburn from Sheridan Fabrications Ltd, in whose colours the horse runs.

Dods completed a mouth-watering 194-1 first and last race double when his 25-1 outsider, Royal Flynn, obliged in the mile-and-a-half Yarm Handicap.

Royal Flynn responded well to the urgings of rider Robert Winston, who was racking up an amazing 949-1 three-timer by galvanising the three-year-old to wear down Mark Johnston's Indonesia inside the final furlong.

Winston's other two winners came via The Number in the seven-furlong seller, plus the locally-trained Far Pavilions, triumphant in the feature race on the card, the £10,000 Harry Chapman Birthday Handicap.

Versatile Far Pavilions, who won over hurdles at Musselburgh earlier in the year, readily took the scalp of 13-8 market leader, Greenwich Meantime, who was powerless to deny the winner's late surge

"He needs this decent ground and did the job well," reported Bill Haigh, assistant to Melsonby handler, Alan Swinbank.

Middleham's Karl Burke was confident of a bold show from Ashes, and the filly duly did the business in the Big Screen Handicap.

"She deserved that and it'll increase her paddock value as she's a half-sister to a Listed scorer," said Karl.

* Winged d'Argent signalled his arrival on the stayers' scene with a gutsy triumph at Nottingham.

The Mark Johnston-trained four-year-old, a half-brother to Ascot specialist Mana d'Argent, showed he is on the upgrade with a battling half-length win over Frank Sonata in the Listed Weatherbys Bank 'Further Flight' Stakes.

Frank Sonata's stablemate Tanwir set the early pace from Johnston's other runner Darasim but the race began in earnest over three furlongs out when Kevin Darley rushed Winged d'Argent to the front.

Ryan Moore covered the move on Frank Sonata and looked like overhauling the leader but Winged d'Argent stayed on better.

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