Adrian Keatley’s Wobwobwob was a winner worth waiting for as he landed a huge gamble to take the Virgin Bet Ayr Silver Cup.

The five-year-old delayed the race whilst being re-shod at the start and then left the stalls the 9-2 favourite after clearly inspiring confidence in connections and punters alike.

Hollie Doyle was aboard and ensured their faith was repaid as she stuck to her guns down the middle of the track and threw down a challenge with a furlong remaining.

At the half-furlong marker the duo still had to pass Michael Dods’ Tinto but did so with a handful of strides remaining to seal a half-length victory.

“It was a muddling old race, everyone was swapping and changing pitches,” Doyle told ITV Racing.

“He didn’t jump as sharp as I’d like, he’s usually a front runner but obviously he couldn’t go the pace today but he’s just outstayed them. He’s knuckled down and was tough.

“It’s a different way of racing for him and a different style, it was good to see him stepping back down in trip. He’s just outstayed them on this slow ground.

“As you can see, he’s a bit of a legend and his owners love him to bits!”

Keatley added of the victory: “It’s a good race to win, the Gold Cup is on my bucket list so it’s nice to get that one today.

“We were on the right side of the track and we’d something to aim at, that was the big thing.”

Revich got up in the shadow of the post to win the Virgin Bet Handicap two years after winning it previously and having finished third in it 12 months ago.

Doyle was on board for Richard Spencer and owners Middleham Park Racing and said: “I didn’t really plan to be that far back but I couldn’t have gone much quicker, the pace was quite genuine and he dug deep when it’s mattered.

“He clearly thrives here and he loves this type of ground, it’s quite tiring.”

Julie Camacho’s Significantly overcame a troubled passage to take a big pot in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup Handicap.

The gelding was rolling the dice again after just missing out on the Portland Handicap at the St Leger meeting exactly a week ago.

The race was a return to six furlongs and at several points it seemed that luck had deserted him once again as his progress was abruptly stopped by other horses in the 24-runner handicap.

He was brought almost to a halt as another horse crossed his path in the final furlong, but showed great tenacity under Joe Fanning to renew his attack and lunge at the line to win by a neck from Ramazan and justify 8-1 favouritism.

The Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef trophy will return to Kingsclere courtesy of Juddmonte’s Array and Oisin Murphy.

The Group Two is named in homage to the 1971 Derby winner, who was trained by Ian Balding to an astonishing run of top flight successes.

Balding’s son Andrew took over the reins at the family’s Kingsclere base in 2003 and despite countless other successes, the race named after the yard’s hero has never gone the way of the younger Balding.

That was until Array took his chance as the 7-4 favourite, and in a messy race he found a clear passage to hold off the chasing pack and seal the victory by half a length from Mister Sketch.

Balding said: “Obviously this race is important to our family.

“We try to find one for it but Dad trained our last winner, Firebreak, while I’ve had two seconds and a third before this.

“I can’t see why this won’t be a horse with a big future and Oisin thinks it would be worth trying him over further. It’s not impossible he will get a mile.

“He was very tough today and has a great mind on him.

“The Middle Park is too soon and if he was supplemented into the Dewhurst it would need a unanimous decision.”

Prime Art strode to an impressive triumph in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Firth Of Clyde at Ayr.

The Johnny Murtagh-trained filly was not among the more fancied runners in the six-furlong Group Three – the only Group race run at Ayr all season – and started at 10-1 having been a 25-1 chance earlier in the day.

She travelled in mid-division under Ben Curtis and readily knuckled down when asked to, slotting through a gap between runners and kicking on to cross the line a length and three-quarters ahead.

The win follows a Naas maiden success last time out, breaking her maiden at the third time of asking.

“The race worked out perfect, she relaxed early doors and then she came on it (the bridle) past the three (furlong marker),” Curtis told ITV Racing.

“She travelled into it lovely and I just waited for the gap, when it came she quickened up very well and she hit the line strong – she couldn’t have done any more.

“Her form is rock solid and she showed a great attitude to win at Naas the last day, I think there’s definitely more to come.

“The way she pricked her ears there you’d think there was more under the bonnet.”

Betfair have introduced the filly into the 1000 Guineas market at 40-1 as a result of the win.

Not So Sleepy, without a win since dead-heating with Epatante in the 2021 Fighting Fifth Hurdle, made all the running to win the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap at Newbury.

Hughie Morrison’s stable stalwart is now 11 years of age and was last seen finishing fifth in the Champion Hurdle behind Constitution Hill.

Back on the Flat, he was carrying top weight in the valuable contest off a mark of 98 having been rated as high as 107 back in 2015 after winning the Dee Stakes at Chester.

Oisin Murphy adopted front-running tactics, just as another stayer from Morrison’s stable, Quickthorn, carries out to such great effect.

Ralph Beckett’s Salt Bay laid down a serious challenge inside the final furlong but Not So Sleepy was not to be denied and won by two lengths at 15-2.

“The plan was to have a nice prep for the Cesarewitch and then go for the Fighting Fifth but now he’s picked up a penalty,” said Morrison.

“We can always take on Constitution Hill again as a pacemaker or even go chasing!

“He came back at the beginning of July and has been cantering away. He just goes to the bottom of the woodchip and comes back again.

“All his work is done on his own but he did have a gallop on the all-weather when I took him with another horse to Lambourn the other day.”

Beckett’s Balance Play (3-1 joint-favourite) had disappointed on his hat-trick bid when favourite for a valuable race at the Ebor meeting but got back on the winning trail in straightforward fashion in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap for Hector Crouch.

Beckett said: “He’s a tough beggar who puts it all in but York was a disaster – I thought with his tiny feet he would handle fast ground but he never got into any kind of rhythm.

“He’s really got the hang of racing now but that fast ground at York threw him off.

“Today it all went to plan and he’s perfect for the November Handicap while he’s also in the Horses in Training Sale.”

Deepone ensured a new name will go on the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes trophy as he provided Paddy Twomey with his first win in the Curragh contest.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Group Two a remarkable 21 times and fielded three runners on this occasion, all last time out winners and he had hired the services of Frankie Dettori for Navy Seal.

Colin Keane took the ride on Grosvenor Square while Gavin Ryan was on Chief Little Rock and with Joseph O’Brien running dual winner Stromberg, Twomey’s Study Of Man colt was almost fighting a lone battle against the O’Briens given the only other runner, Andy Oliver’s Ozark Daze, went off at 150-1.

With that possibly on his mind Billy Lee was ultra-positive on Deepone (3-1), who after winning his first two starts had finished second in a Listed race and fourth behind Diego Velazquez in a Group Two.

With two furlongs to run he had kicked almost five lengths clear and while the gap dwindled close to home, he still had a length and three-quarters to spare over Chief Little Rock who just edged out Grosvenor Square for second with Navy Seal and Dettori only fourth.

“He’s a nice horse, he’s been a work in progress and we’ve been educating him,” said Twomey.

“I felt he had come out of the last race in great form. I said to Billy that I was going to run him again and he kind of looked at me but I said I felt he was in good form.

“He’s a strong traveller and he finds plenty, I think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter or mile-and-a-half horse next year.

“Hopefully for Vimal (Khosla, owner) he’s a Derby horse for next year and that’ll be it for this year now.

“I’ve been dropping him in on turning tracks and there was plenty of traffic. I said to Billy ‘no nonsense today, get out there and let’s go and see if they are good enough’.

“He put them to the sword and I think he’s a good horse.”

Paddy Power cut him to 20-1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Deepone ensured a new name will go on the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes trophy as he provided Paddy Twomey with his first win in the Curragh contest.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Group Two a remarkable 21 times and fielded three runners on this occasion, all last time out winners and he had hired the services of Frankie Dettori for Navy Seal.

Colin Keane took the ride on Grosvenor Square while Gavin Ryan was on Chief Little Rock and with Joseph O’Brien running dual winner Stromberg, Twomey’s Study Of Man colt was almost fighting a lone battle against the O’Briens given the only other runner, Andy Oliver’s Ozark Daze, went off at 150-1.

With that possibly on his mind Billy Lee was ultra-positive on Deepone (3-1), who after winning his first two starts had finished second in a Listed race and fourth behind Diego Velazquez in a Group Two.

With two furlongs to run he had kicked almost five lengths clear and while the gap dwindled close to home, he still had a length and three-quarters to spare over Chief Little Rock who just edged out Grosvenor Square for second with Navy Seal and Dettori only fourth.

“He’s a nice horse, he’s been a work in progress and we’ve been educating him,” said Twomey.

“I felt he had come out of the last race in great form. I said to Billy that I was going to run him again and he kind of looked at me but I said I felt he was in good form.

“He’s a strong traveller and he finds plenty, I think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter or mile-and-a-half horse next year.

“Hopefully for Vimal (Khosla, owner) he’s a Derby horse for next year and that’ll be it for this year now.

“I’ve been dropping him in on turning tracks and there was plenty of traffic. I said to Billy ‘no nonsense today, get out there and let’s go and see if they are good enough’.

“He put them to the sword and I think he’s a good horse.”

Paddy Power cut him to 20-1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Deepone ensured a new name will go on the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes trophy as he provided Paddy Twomey with his first win in the Curragh contest.

Aidan O’Brien has won the Group Two a remarkable 21 times and fielded three runners on this occasion, all last time out winners and he had hired the services of Frankie Dettori for Navy Seal.

Colin Keane took the ride on Grosvenor Square while Gavin Ryan was on Chief Little Rock and with Joseph O’Brien running dual winner Stromberg, Twomey’s Study Of Man colt was almost fighting a lone battle against the O’Briens given the only other runner, Andy Oliver’s Ozark Daze, went off at 150-1.

With that possibly on his mind Billy Lee was ultra-positive on Deepone (3-1), who after winning his first two starts had finished second in a Listed race and fourth behind Diego Velazquez in a Group Two.

With two furlongs to run he had kicked almost five lengths clear and while the gap dwindled close to home, he still had a length and three-quarters to spare over Chief Little Rock who just edged out Grosvenor Square for second with Navy Seal and Dettori only fourth.

“He’s a nice horse, he’s been a work in progress and we’ve been educating him,” said Twomey.

“I felt he had come out of the last race in great form. I said to Billy that I was going to run him again and he kind of looked at me but I said I felt he was in good form.

“He’s a strong traveller and he finds plenty, I think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter or mile-and-a-half horse next year.

“Hopefully for Vimal (Khosla, owner) he’s a Derby horse for next year and that’ll be it for this year now.

“I’ve been dropping him in on turning tracks and there was plenty of traffic. I said to Billy ‘no nonsense today, get out there and let’s go and see if they are good enough’.

“He put them to the sword and I think he’s a good horse.”

Paddy Power cut him to 20-1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Karl Burke’s Royal Rhyme could be destined for greater things after a tough win in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Doonside Cup Stakes at Ayr.

While the colt sent off the 6-5 favourite under Clifford Lee, it was Amy Murphy’s Pride Of America who stalked off to take a significant lead early on.

A long way from home it soon became apparent that none of the other runners were close enough to lay down a challenge and the front two had it between them for the last three furlongs.

Only Burke’s could reel the front runner in, drawing level with him a furlong from home and eventually applying himself to the task to prevail by a length and a quarter.

“I was very confident I was going to get him (Pride Of America),” Lee told ITV Racing.

“What I didn’t want to do was leave it too late, so three (furlongs) down I just started giving him a squeeze and tried to keep tabs.

“From then on I knew I was going to get him.”

Royal Rhyme was previously a runaway winner of the valuable Kincsem Handicap at Goodwood and Lee rates this performance as similarly impressive.

A step up in grade now under consideration as the bay holds an entry for the Qipco Champion Stakes and has been cut from 33-1 to 16-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power for that contest.

“It was good, I’d say it was on par” said Lee.

“The ground wasn’t as soft as it was at Goodwood but it was a great performance by him.”

The Irish raider prevailed as Jack Davison’s Thunderbear rolled to a smart success in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at Newbury.

Davison’s three-year-old has been victorious on these shores before, landing a Nottingham handicap in May before stepping up to Group level with a string of respectable runs throughout the summer.

Back in England he was not especially fancied for the Newbury Group Three, starting at 12-1 under Sean Levey in a field of five.

Andrew Balding’s Nymphadora made the running, but Thunderbear was never far behind her and just ahead of the furlong pole he kicked into gear and strode clear to win by a neck.

William Haggas’ Sense Of Duty, winner of four of her previous five outings but running for the first time in well over a year, was a further two lengths away in third.

“Once we saw the rain was coming we were happy to give him the entry and we were glad it stayed soft,” said Davison.

“He ran well at Royal Ascot (eighth in the Jersey) and won at Nottingham, and though he’s had a busy season and travelled a lot he had the ground.

“We decided to drop him back to five and ride him prominently, and Sean gave him a lovely ride.

“I had an odds on winner here (She’s Quality) earlier in the season – there was pressure that day – and she will run in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket on Saturday.”

Levey said: “Give credit where it’s due they came here and they conquered. He was a great ride and he loved the ground.”

Jessica Harrington is eyeing a second straight Group Three prize with Ocean Quest in the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday before plotting a return to Ascot.

The three-year-old filly heads into the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes on the back of an impressive strike in the Ballyogan Stakes at Naas.

Before that, Ocean Quest had performed with great credit at big odds when finishing fourth to Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup.

Another tilt at Ascot Group One glory in next month’s Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes is on the agenda if all goes well this weekend.

“We were really pleased with her last time out at Naas and everything has gone well with her since then,” said Harrington.

“She’s in great form and we’re looking forward to running her. This was always the plan to use as the next stepping stone before going to Ascot on British Champions Day.

“It’s already been a great season for her and the good news is that she stays in training next year.

“She’s gone well on all types of ground this year. I was quite surprised that she did so well on fast ground at Ascot in the summer, but conditions should be perfect on Sunday.”

It was good to firm when Ocean Quest was in contention two furlongs out at the Royal meeting.

However, the daughter of Sioux Nation also handled heavy ground when romping home by six lengths in a Navan Listed race back in April, when the reopposing Aesop’s Fables was runner-up.

French import Go Athletico has proved another shrewd purchase for Ado McGuinness since being snapped up after a Listed win at Deauville in April.

He scored at a similar level at Cork in June before twice finishing second in Group-class company.

The son of former high-class sprinter Goken, who had his last run in the 2016 renewal of this race, chased home Art Power in the Sapphire Stakes here.

He was then runner-up to Moss Tucker when returning to the Curragh for the Phoenix Sprint.

Big Gossey earned this step up in class by seeing off 21 rivals in the valuable Bold Lad Sprint Handicap over course and distance for Charles O’Brien.

Michael O’Callaghan’s Twilight Jet was also a winner last time out in a Tipperary Listed event, but Shartash is still trying to recapture the sparkle of a smart juvenile campaign which brought course and distance success in the Railway Stakes.

Clever And Cool, a winner at Naas, Cork and Tipperary this term, drops down in class and distance after taking on Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

Tower Of London is back out again quickly in the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch having finished fourth in the St Leger at Doncaster last week.

The three-year-old features in a maximum field of 30 and he will be ridden by Ryan Moore, who jets back from Australia overnight to take the ride.

Tower Of London, a brother to Irish Derby and St Leger winner Capri, already has one big handicap win on his record in the Ulster Derby before he stepped up in class to be second in the Bahrain Trophy.

While no match for stablemate Continuous on Town Moor, he finished only a length behind the runner-up Arrest.

O’Brien won the race with a three-year-old last season when Waterville came from last to first to win in devastating style.

O’Brien said: “It’s a little bit quick for him to be coming back, but it is an important race and we thought it was worth taking the chance with him.

“This horse is rated much higher than Waterville when he won (last year), so that means he’s obviously got a lot more weight than Waterville had.

“He ran a good race in the St Leger, he ran well in it and he wasn’t beaten too far.”

Numerically the race is dominated by National Hunt trainers – principally the champion Willie Mullins who runs six.

Top weight Jackfinbar, the mare Echoes In Rain, Stratum, Mt Leinster – who is the mount of Rachael Blackmore – Lot Of Joy and M C Muldoon.

James Fanshawe sends over recent Goodwood winner Novel Legend, while Adrian Keatley runs Legendary Day, who won the Mallard at Doncaster last week.

Emmet Mullins holds a strong hand with Teed Up and Cheltenham Festival winner The Shunter, with Galway Hurdle third My Mate Mozzie representing Gavin Cromwell.