CHELTENHAM Gold Cupwinning trainer Peter Beaumont broke new ground when Golden Groom gave him his first success on the Flat under rules in the Bishopton Handicap at Ripon.

Golden Groom was having his first outing since September 2007 and making his debut for the Brandsby handler in the mile-and-ahalf contest.

Sent off at 8-1, Golden Groom showed no ill effects from his 631-day absence, digging deep to hold the challenge of Summer Lodge by a head in the hands of Andrew Elliott.

Beaumont, who sent out Jodami to land chasing’s blue riband in 1993 and has held a licence for 22 years, said: ‘‘I did win the Newmarket Town Plate (widely recognised as the oldest Flat race in the country) with Gale Force, but this is our first on the Flat proper.

‘‘We did not known what a swine of a horse Golden Groom was when we bought him. He will bite and kick you and really mean it – you can go round the stables at bedtime and sometimes you can stroke his head but another time he will go for you.

‘‘He was bought to go hurdling but his owner, Colin Stirling, likes staying horses so we will stay on the Flat for a while.’’ Apprentice Jamie Kyne has hit a purple patch and he took his score for the season into double figures when getting his boss John Quinn’s Grazeon Gold Blend home in dramatic fashion in the £14,000 Nick Wilmot Smith Memorial Handicap.

Bel Cantor led at half way but he was collared inside the final furlong by Vhujon, who was then mugged close home by Grazeon Gold Blend (10-1).