Hat-trick for Dettori

Frankie Dettori delighted the Bank Holiday crowd at Epsom with a 164-1 treble, highlighted by Ashaawes’ victory for Godolphin in the JRA Conditions Stakes.

Saeed bin Suroor has a remarkable record in the 10-furlong race having won five of the past six renewals in which he has had a runner, and Ashaawes did the job in style to score by a length and a quarter.

The 4-1 shot was punched into the lead inside the final two furlongs and he drew clear to leave Classic Punch to come through and take second.

Godolphin representative Sam Avis said: “He is a big horse who has taken a while to come to himself. He is still immature and improving.

“The soft ground did not do him any harm and he went through it well.

“He is in the Champion Stakes but it will be up the guys at home to decide where he goes next.”

Enforcer was sent off the 5-6 favourite but was eased down in the straight having aggravated the abscess which forced him out of the Juddmonte International last week.

The middle leg of Dettori’s hat-trick came when the Italian went two places better than last year on the Bryan Smart-trained Bond City in the totesport.com Sprint Stakes.

The partnership were beaten just half a length in the five-furlong dash 12 months ago but managed to bag the spoils this time, despite connections’ reservations about the rain-softened ground.

Dettori was never far from the pace on the 9-2 favourite and after leading inside the final furlong Bond City found more when pressed by Cape Royal close home, eventually winning by half a length, with Jayanjay in third.

Smart said: “I am delighted with him and he was due a win. He was drawn on the wrong side in the Stewards’ Cup last time and wasn’t beaten far.

“He loves Epsom, though, and has always run well there. Frankie rode him in this race last year and he got off and said he would have won had he known the horse better.

“I was worried about the ground but he has handled it well.

“He is in the Ayr Gold Cup but we will wait and see how he is before making any plans.”

Dettori’s opened his account with a fine front-running ride on Overwing (5-1) in the Chantilly Handicap over six furlongs.

The filly tracked across to the stands side on entering the straight and repelled several challenges to deny Spearit by three-quarters of a length and gain a first win at the distance.

Winning trainer Robert Cowell said: “She is normally Eddie Ahern’s ride but he is at Newcastle so Frankie stepped in, and he is good from the front.

“We will take stock now and decide where to go, but it is important not to over-race these honest fillies.”

Wayne Hogg’s first ride at Epsom will live long in his memory after the 21-year-old showed tremendous determination to land the totepool Amateur Derby on Nero’s Return.

The Hawick-born jockey pushed Mark Johnston’s runner into the lead coming down towards Tattenham Corner and looked set for comfortable victory when kicking on down the straight.

But Incursion went with the 5-1 winner and the pair battled tooth and nail through the last quarter mile, with Hogg getting on top in the dying strides for a half-length verdict.

Johnston’s wife Deirdre said: “Wayne was an apprentice with us but he got too tall so he switched to being an amateur and is also training to be a travelling manager.

“The horse is game and honest so deserved to win and Wayne gave him a fantastic ride. He is a really good jockey so we knew he would ride a really good race.”

A first taste of Epsom was not so good for Swordsman’s jockey, Sam Jones, after he was banned for three days for careless riding.

Spirit Of The Mist gave first-season trainer Tim Pitt his fifth juvenile winner of the year when making virtually all in the Britaniacrest Recycling EBF Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

John Egan had the 15-2 chance smartly away and after asserting on the turn for home the colt kept on well to beat Silca Key by a length and a quarter with the eyecatching Jaasoos taking third.

Resonate (10-1) skipped clear to claim the tote Text Betting 60021 Handicap under Amir Quinn while Rain Stops Play (10-1) bounced back to form to take the Land Rover Handicap by a neck.