Ascot on the agenda for Dods

Michael Dods may be making a trip to the unusual surroundings of Royal Ascot next month after the eye-catching victory of Rubirosa at Ripon.

A son of the first-season sire Acclamation, he has enough size and scope about him to merit a crack at bigger and better things.

He ran out a comfortable three-length winner of the second division of the Destiny Racing Club Maiden Stakes without being asked a serious question by his pilot Philip Makin.

Settled in mid-division in the early stages after slightly missing the break, he shot through a gap a furlong out to land the odds at 5-1.

Kevin Ryan's Montiboli gamely chased him home.

"He's a nice horse with a great attitude," said Dods. "We thought he might need it today but he's done it very nicely.

"We think he's a good horse and there's more to come. I'm not ruling Ascot out - he'd need another run first but he's definitely good enough to go."

The first division was also won by a smart Acclamation newcomer in the shape of Patrick Haslam's Bespoke Boy, who landed some hefty bets in the process.

Drawn on the favoured stands side rail, Lee Enstone always seemed to have matters under control on the 9-2 chance, while the shrewdies were on at double figure prices in the morning.

Some of the top yards were represented, Ed Dunlop, Sir Mark Prescott and Mark Johnston included, but Haslam's charge put them all to the sword for a two-length win.

"He's bred to be a three-year-old even though he's by a sprinting sire," said Haslam's son Ben, who bought the horse at Newmarket Sales.

"He's not really done a lot at home but we thought he was pretty good. He was about 95% fit today and we decided to run him for the experience.

"He worked with a horse that ran well at York last week (Mission Impossible) but he's never been off the bridle at home."

Richard Guest landed the feature race of the day when European Dream (16-1) took the Ripon, Yorkshire's Garden Racecourse Handicap in great style.

Joe Fanning moved the four-year-old upsides the pace-setting My Paris at the furlong pole and he went on to score by one and a quarter lengths.

Mick Quinn's Angus Newz (4-1) gamely won the C.B.Hutchinson Memorial Challenge Cup.

Set some stiff tasks this season, she relished the drop into a lower grade and despite carrying top weight, she had a length to spare over Gallery Girl.

Owner John Dooley said: "We bought her as a foal and she's been a grand servant.

We hope to get her placed in a Group race before too long. She's had some tough tasks this year but this was a drop in class. Hopefully we will breed off her in time."

There was drama at the finish of the Middleham Trainers Association Handicap when the Ryan-trained My Arch (13-2) veered into the runner-up Fortunate Isle, meaning third home Nanton had nowhere to go.

However, after a 10 minute stewards' enquiry, the placings remained unaltered.

"The blinkers helped him today," said Ryan. "He will get further than a mile and a quarter in time."

But there was a sting in the tail for winning rider Neil Callan, who will sit out May 31 and June 3 after being found guilty of careless riding.

George Margarson's Northern Jem finally got off the mark at the fifth time of asking in the ripon-races.co.uk Maiden Stakes.

The 6-4 joint-favourite showed a smart turn of foot to beat Sir Michael Stoute's Ravarino by two and a half lengths, with Henry Cecil's Triple Beat in third.

Bill Turner's Amazing Day won the skybet.com Wooden Spoon Charity Selling Stakes at the rewarding price of 20-1.

Despite finishing behind favourite Rio Taffeta last time when getting lumps of weight, he managed to turn the tables for a short-head victory.