'I never felt any doubt' - Opera Gift impresses in City Bowl for course chairman

While Alcohol Free could not provide a dream Classic success at Newmarket for Salisbury racecourse chairman Jeff Smith, the owner was celebrating a win at his track's feature race on Sunday with the progressive Opera Gift.

The Andrew Balding-trained four-year-old travelled powerfully in the AJN Steelstock-backed City Bowl before quickening away in the final stages to record a two-and-a-quarter length victory.

Opera Gift was cut to 12-1 (from 20) for the Ebor with Unibet, and jockey David Probert believes the best is yet to come from the lightly-raced son of Nathaniel.

He said: "His work at home has been okay and I just thought the ground might be a bit too quick for him, but his form was solid. That was a very gutsy performance and he's seen it out great.

"We got racing a long way out but I still had plenty of horse underneath me from the two pole. I never felt any doubt really."

Probert added of future targets: "I'll leave it to Andrew and Mr Smith but he's a very nice progressive type."

Luckless Atzeni unseated again

There was drama in the 7f novice stakes as 5-4 favourite Hamoudi unseated jockey Andrea Atzeni when making a challenge with two furlongs to go.

It was the second time Hamoudi has unseated Atzeni in his three-race career, but the jockey was reported to be fine following the race. Walls Of Kano kept on to win for Brian Meehan and jockey Martin Dwyer.

Results, replays and analysis

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