Ffrench Davis double at Newmarket

Dominic Ffrench Davis celebrated his first victory on the Rowley Mile when Surely Not ran out an impressive winner of the opening three-year-old handicap.

Successful jockey Hollie Doyle was herself making the perfect start at Newmarket for 2023 having been at Lingfield on the opening day of the Craven meeting.

Doyle said: “I couldn’t get a ride here yesterday so I went to Lingfield instead. It was nice of Dominic to keep me on the horse as I rode him to win at Newbury at the end of last year.”

Ffrench Davis was getting off the mark at the track at the 34th attempt, and said: “I’ve had one success on the July Course but never here.”

Like London buses, the trainer did not have long to wait for winner number two when Amo Racing’s Persian Dreamer ran away with the 5f fillies’ maiden for juveniles.

The 11-4 chance powered out of the Dip in the hands of Kevin Stott to complete a double on the card for the owners, who had earlier landed the feature Nell Gwyn Stakes with Mammas Girl.

The win was also a first in Britain for first-season stallion Calyx. Ffrench Davis said: “We’ll work back from Royal Ascot.”

Courtesy of Racing Post