FORMER England striker Alan Shearer was on target as a racehorse owner when Justonefortheroad sprang a 25-1 surprise at York.

The BBC soccer pundit made the right decision in being on the Knavesmire rather than be with the other two members of the winning Pontoon Partnership, who preferred a golfing weekend in Spain.

Shearer saw Justonefortheroad take the feature Acorn Web Offset Handicap.

Eton Rifles looked like gunning down the opposition, but Saleem Golam brought the Richard Fahy-trained fouryear- old with a well-timed run to win by three quarters of a length.

“You never know with the ground. It was sticky but the horse has run a great race and the jockey has done everything he said he was going to do. I couldn’t have asked for any more,” said Shearer.

“I’m the only one of the three in the syndicate here today. The other two have gone golfing to Spain for a few days. I was hoping they had made the wrong decision – and it’s raining in Spain.”

Waseet (18-1) pounced late to upstage market leaders Kings Gambit and Kirklees in the Garbutt and Elliott Conditions Stakes.

Waseet wore down the front two in the last 100 yards under Richard Hills to grab the spoils by three-quarters of a length for trainer John Dunlop.

“He’s been riddled with problems the whole of this year, but John said to me he was probably the best he’s had him all season and he was right,” said Hills.

Haajes (7-1) got up in the shadow of the post to deny Russian Spirit back-to-back victories in the Parsonage Country House Hotel Handicap.

Apprentice Paul Pickard, claiming 3lb, had a willing partner, with Paul Midgley’s six-year-old getting the verdict by a head.

“I’ve had him since January and he rarely runs a bad race,”

said Midgley.

“He’s done us proud and he’ll probably go to Pontefract a week on Monday. I hope the handicapper isn’t too hard on him.”

Ed McMahon has enjoyed a good season with the likes of Temple Meads and Astrophysical Jet and the Lichfield trainer struck with Indian Ballad (8-1), his only runner at the meeting.

Graham Gibbons got the youngster home by a nose in the TSG Nursery from Breezolini, whose rider, Amy Ryan, put up 3lb overweight.

“He’s not over-big, but he’s very well made and he’s just been improving all the time,”

said McMahon.

Rudegirl (4-1) made her experience tell when opening her account in the EBF Read Paul Nicholls Exclusively on Betfair Maiden Stakes.

Fourth in a valuable auction race at Fairyhouse, Nigel Tinkler’s filly came through the tacky ground with flying colours to beat Commended by half a length.

“She’s tough, genuine and I’m very pleased for the breeder, David Flood,” said Tinkler.

Veiled Applause (7-2) won the Future Cleaning Services ‘Hands and Heels’ Apprentice Handicap for the second year running to give trainer, John Quinn, an across-the-card double after he was earlier successful at Carlisle with Recession Proof.

■ David Nicholls is on a factfinding mission with French recruit Dream Catcher as he makes his debut for the yard in the Jaguar XJ Autumn Stakes at Ascot today.

The grey has produced winning form across the Channel and while his new trainer is confident he will handle the likely soft ground, he admits he is not sure what to expect in this Group Three contest.

“He has some decent form in France but we haven’t had him long and we’re just trying to find out where we’re going with him,” said Nicholls.

“He won’t mind the soft ground but we’re throwing him in at the deep end, so we’ll see.”