Symbol Of Honour enhances Charlie Appleby's rampant form after William Buick swoops late to land the Sandy Lane

Symbol Of Honour showed the value of living in the moment when enhancing the rampant form of Charlie Appleby in the Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes.

The Group 2 race is a recognised trial for Royal Ascot, specifically the Commonwealth Cup, but as a gelding Symbol Of Honour is prevented from running in that three-year-old contest.

However, for the second Saturday in a row the son of Havana Grey won a decent prize when following up his Listed Carnarvon Stakes win at Newbury with another in the £125,000 contest.

Sent off the 2-1 favourite, Symbol Of Honour mounted his challenge late under a perfectly timed ride from William Buick to deny Arabian Dusk to give Appleby his fifth winner in three days at Haydock.

"He toughed it out and showed a good attitude," said Appleby's assistant Alex Merriam. "I don't think he was quite the same horse as he was last week, but you can't fault him."

Symbol Of Honour holds big-race entries in the coming weeks, including in the July Cup, but appears set for a well-earned rest.

"I've just spoken to Charlie and we might give him a break now," added Merriam. "He was in Dubai over the winter and ultimately he's probably a horse to go back there. We'll see where we go between now and then."

Diamond sparkles on return

Haydock officials planted an oak tree to commemorate the inaugural running of the Listed Hedge of Oak Stakes and it had a fitting winner as Diamond Rain towered over her rivals in the paddock before showing her brute strength on the track.

The daughter of Oaks winner Dancing Rain looked to have a mountain to climb approaching the two-furlong pole, but she found top gear to win decisively for in-form Appleby and Buick.

Diamond Rain powers to victory in the Listed Hedge of Oak StakesCredit: John Grossick

It was a return to winning ways for Diamond Rain on her first start of the year after she suffered defeats in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and at Doncaster in November in an interrupted campaign. 

"That was very good. She's a big girl who has strengthened up and has probably improved for another year on her back," said Merriam.

"She stayed on well and you'd think she'd want further, but Will [Buick] has always said she's got plenty of toe. She hit a bit of a flat spot but once she got rolling I always thought she'd get there."

The Hedge of Oak, run over 1m2½f, was added to Haydock's calendar after the track's owners, the Jockey Club, acquired the Rothesay Stakes from Ayr.

Three in a row

Seven days on from winning the London Gold Cup with Saddadd, Roger Varian and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum claimed another key three-year-old handicap when Teroomm charged home in the £100,000 Betfred Silver Bowl.

Silvestre de Sousa brought the 3-1 joint-favourite with a powerful run down the outside to win his third straight race after victories in maiden and novice company at Bath and Thirsk last month.

De Sousa said: "The race fanned out a bit in the straight and I always had a target to go for. He's a nice horse and this race will bring him on again."

Six out of seven

The remarkable Caballo De Mar, whose only defeat in seven races came when second in the Chester Cup, earned his place at Royal Ascot with victory in the 2m handicap.

Trainer George Scott said: "He's a really admirable horse who knows how to win. We needed to go up a couple of pounds to guarantee our spot in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot, so we've done that."

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