Poppy blooms as Downing scores at third time of asking

Since fracturing his skull in a fall at Kempton four years ago, apprentice George Downing’s career has been something of a slow burner, but he showed plenty of panache in the saddle to score aboard outsider Compton Poppy in the 5f juvenile fillies' maiden.

Sent off a relatively unfancied 22-1 chance, the youngster easily belied those odds when showing a nice turn of foot to get the better of Tschiertschen and take the prize in the colours of Downing’s father Paul.

Downing Snr said: “George had a bad accident at Kempton in 2012 and it knocked him back a lot, even though he was out of action for only three months or so. But he has made up for lost time this season as this was his 23rd winner of the season.