Spherical cut to 20-1 for Queen Mary after giving Roger Varian his first juvenile winner of the season

James Doyle came up the A11 from Newmarket for one ride on Spherical in the 5f juvenile fillies' contest and hit top gear to give Roger Varian his first juvenile winner of the season.

The daughter of Blue Point was keeping owners Cheveley Park Stud on a winning roll after their Lockinge triumph with Audience at Newbury last Saturday, and Spherical could even join the Group 1 winner at Royal Ascot next month in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes, for which she was cut to 20-1 (from 33-1) by Paddy Power.

Although the £40,000 contest was down to three runners from double that after overnight rain, Spherical may well have won anyway despite not enjoying the ground.

Doyle said: "I let the other two go on as they were breeze-up horses, but she picked up very well. She's only got small feet so won despite the ground, and when we get summer ground she may well enjoy it more."

Gold strike

Clerk of the course Richard Aldous gave some insight into why the two juvenile races on the card were third and fourth in the running order rather than first and second as was customary in the past.

Aldous said: "Arc race planning deems that we have to put Class 2 races on third or fourth on the card preceded by two Class 6 or Class 5 races. Also the two races that go around the bends I like to put on early as often we have to water, so the ground is best early."

The second of those juvenile contests, the 6f novice, went the way of Frankel colt Age Of Gold, who is another who could be gracing the Berkshire turf next month after justifying 11-10 favouritism for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.

The €625,000 colt was giving the Moulton Paddocks outfit their fourth straight juvenile winner when accounting for Back In Black, who made many notebooks himself.

Age Of Gold now qualifies for the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and could well head there after another run under a penalty in a novice.

Buick, who was completing a double, said: "He would appreciate another furlong and picked up well from the furlong pole."

Derby Dave

As much chat at the track was about Epsom, it was apt that Duchess won the closing mile handicap as she is ridden out at home by two-time Derby-winning groom Dave Goodwin, who turned 73 on Tuesday.

Goodwin looked after Derby winners Slip Anchor (1985) and Commander In Chief (1993) in his days with Sir Henry Cecil and still keeps his hand in by riding out for Duchess's trainer John Berry.

Duchess and connections in the winner's enclosure

Berry said: "I owe Dave a drink after that as he gets on so well with her at home. He was positive about her chances, but we were worried about her draw in stall one and also the ground. Adam Farragher gave her a good ride, but I feel sorry for Gina Mangan, who is unwell and could not ride."

Lion roars home

The Ed Dunlop Racing Club got on the board for the second time in 2024 when Society Lion made all the running to land the 7f handicap.

The booking of winning jockey Danny Muscutt for the 7-1 chance was an in-house job as syndicate member Eddie Partridge explained: “Rab Havlin and Hollie Doyle rode him to win last year, but they were unavailable so we booked Danny, who is on the books of Paul Clarke, who is also a member of the racing club.”

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.