Moore takes advantage in jockey's championship

Ryan Moore stole a march on his chief rivals in the jockeys' championship with a near 7-1 double at Kempton, highlighted by Malt Or Mash's victory in the intercasino.co.uk Dragonfly Stakes.

With Jamie Spencer drawing a blank and Seb Sanders suspended for the first day of the new Flat season, the 24-year-old kicked clear in his pursuit of the title he claimed two years ago.

Moore teamed up with Richard Hannon for his brace, which was completed as last autumn's November Handicap winner Malt Or Mash got his four-year-old career off to a perfect start.

Miramare set a decent pace up front in the mile-and-a-half contest, but that played into Moore's hands and he brought the 8-11 favourite with a storming run down the straight to deny the filly by two and a quarter lengths.

The form was given a rock-solid look, with the pair pulling 15 lengths clear of Millville.

Hannon's son and assistant, Richard jnr, said: "The run will bring him on as he was big and stuffy and needed it.

"He was at full stretch but they went a good gallop.

"He will go to Newbury now for the John Porter (April 19) and he could make up into a Cup horse."

Moore's first victory of the 2008 campaign came as Cordell derived the benefit from his outing at the Sunbury venue last week to take the Ian McClelland Memorial Handicap as the 7-2 joint-favourite.

Hannon added: "He needed his first run as he is a big horse and carries a lot of weight.

"He improved a lot from it and Ryan said he might stay another two furlongs."

Mullein went into the notebook as a name to remember for the summer with her pillar-to-post victory in the intercasino.co.uk Maiden Stakes.

The daughter of Oasis Dream finished mid-field in a hot race at Ascot on her only outing as a juvenile and made all on her first start as a three-year-old for a game four-length call as the 7-4 favourite.

Trainer Ralph Beckett said: "I thought a bit of her last year and started her off at Ascot.

"She was very immature so we put her away after that and gave her a good break.

"I'll see what the handicapper does but I'm looking forward to running her on fast ground on turf."

Mark Johnston is making the most of Thebes' current mark and the three-year-old took his third race on the bounce in the Play Roulette At intercasino.co.uk Handicap.

Carrying a 6lb penalty, the 1-2 favourite stretched nicely clear under Greg Fairley, having forced the pace, and was not hard pushed to collect by two and a quarter lengths.

Johnston's representative Jock Bennett said: "That was pretty straightforward I would hope that he will run again next week before the handicapper reassesses him.

"He has won over seven furlongs but has the speed for six and Greg says he his maturing with racing."

Toms Laughter, trained by Ron Harris, was another to complete a hat-trick when overcoming his wide draw as the 4-1 favourite in the intercasino Handicap.

Nigel Philips, of the successful Five To Follow syndicate, said: "We weren't too worried about the draw in stall one as he has plenty off pace.

"He has won over five and six furlongs and we think he will stay seven too."

The Big Jackpots At intercasino.co.uk Handicap fell to 16-1 shot Markab, while The Carlton Cannes (even-money favourite) took charge on his first attempt at a mile and a half in the Play Blackjack at Intercasino.co.uk Handicap.