25-1 into 11-8: handicapper lands significant gamble for first win in approaching three years

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Twilight Jet landed a significant gamble in the 6f handicap to record his first win since September 2023, obliging at odds of 11-8 after being smashed in from 25-1 the night before.

The seven-year-old competed at the highest level in his younger days, winning in Group 3 company and finishing fifth in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes in 2021. However, he had dropped 22lb to an official mark of 74 since joining Jim and Suzi Best.

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Sean Levey put Twilight Jet in a prominent position before making his challenge down the centre of the track and getting up in the final furlong to win by half a length from Travel Agent.

Turf first for Parr 

King's Hand has done a fair bit wrong since joining trainer Joseph Parr, but he defied a slow start to come home strongest in the 1m2f handicap under David Egan.

The four-year-old refused to load last time and missed the break by around five lengths on this occasion. However, he took advantage of a pace collapse to win by three-quarters of a length, fending off the late challenge of Dancing Tiger.

Parr said: "He has his quirks and we have done a lot of work with him. David gave him a good ride, but even when he got to the front he wasn't the most willing partner. 

"The plan was to take a bit of a pull and drop him in, but it ended up being slightly more exaggerated than we had planned. David settled him nicely and he did it well in the end. He's hopefully got a bit more left in him."

Bought for 32,000gns in February, King's Hand was winning for the first time for Parr and it was also the trainer's first win of the turf season. 

Egan doubled up when landing the 6f novice on 4-6 shot Behike. The Night Of Thunder colt was recording his second win of the season, and Paddy Power reacted by cutting him into 33-1 (from 66) for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

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