'More to come' from Eilean Dubh after second Sunday Series win

Sunday: York

While Karl Burke was watching Liverpool's fruitless title bid at Anfield, his Eilean Dubh put himself on the verge of a huge triumph by scoring a clear-cut victory in the mile handicap.

The horse had also won on the first Sky Bet Sunday Series card at Hamilton a fortnight previously and will earn a £100,000 bonus if he becomes the first to triumph at three such meetings.

After the 13-2 joint-favourite's success under Clifford Lee, fresh from landing his first Group win on stablemate El Caballo in the Sandy Lane Stakes 24 hours earlier at Haydock, part-owner Dave Mackay said: "I started reading up on it and I thought it was a good series.

"It's working out nicely. Karl will make the decision but he could go to Pontefract next month.

"There's no race for him at Musselburgh but then there is Haydock and Sandown. And I think it's possible, I think there's more to come from him. We're running him more frequently now and he seems to enjoy it."

Top effort

Topanticipation started the week a 13-race maiden and ended it on a hat-trick after adding success in the apprentice handicap to a victory at Leicester six days earlier.

"Getting her head in front was massive," said trainer Harry Eustace. "She'd been so consistent without winning.

"This wasn't the plan, I'd put her in in case the ground went wrong there, but she's fully mature, she can take her racing more and it's such good prize-money.

"It's worked out well and it's great to have a winner here, it's a proper track and the Sunday Series is great for a filly like her."

Bank on him

On a day of big fields and 112 declarations, the only race with a single-figure line-up may have featured the classiest runner as 525,000gns buy Walbank earned a Royal Ascot trip by seeing off three rivals in the novice stakes.

"He's a proper animal, an absolute bullet," said trainer David Loughnane. "He has a lot of ability but he's still not fully street-wise about racing.

"He'll come on again for that. He'll have entries in the Norfolk Stakes and Windsor Castle."

The Wokingham beckons for Asjad at Royal Ascot after he gave James Horton his biggest win by landing the £50,000 6f handicap.

"That fits on a time frame, the track should suit him and that will probably be plan A," said the trainer.

Walbank wins well under Silvestre de SousaCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

A hard challenge

Duran Fentiman and Silvestre de Sousa were in action on the course before racing, helping young Freja Thackray's latest fundraising effort for Racing Welfare.

They ran alongside the nine-year-old, who is in the finishing straight of a triathlon challenge covering 194 miles - the distance between Aintree and Ascot – through running, cycling and swimming.

She has raised more than £9,000 previously through two sponsored runs and said: "People had been very generous last year so it had to be a hard challenge!"

Sunday's effort took the total covered to 155 miles in a challenge that started during the Cheltenham Festival and is set to finish on the last day of Royal Ascot.

Freja Thackray with Racing Welfare Welfare officers Sarah Monkman (left)and Harriet McHugh.Credit: Raciing Welfare

Replays, results and analysis

Don't miss the Racing Post Royal Ascot Guide 2022. Only £14.99, the 192-page guide is packed with tips and information for the five-day festival of top-class Flat racing, including profiles of the leading horses and the lowdown on the top trainers and jockeys. Order your copy here or call 01933 304858. Use the code ASCOTJUBILEE to get £2 off for a limited period only.