Via for victory at Newmarket

News from Saturday afternoon's meeting at Newmarket as John Gosden struck in the opener with Via Egnatia.

Via Egnatia provided jockey Robert Tart with his first winner since June when making virtually all in NKT Financial Solutions Ltd EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes at Newmarket.

After showing signs of promise on two previous starts over six furlongs, the John Gosden-trained two-year-old appeared to appreciate a step up in trip when running away with the mile prize.

Hitting the front and bagging the far side rail soon after the stalls opened, the 9-2 shot poured on the pressure from the sharp end before cruising home by seven lengths.

Tart said: "All credit to John Gosden - I've got to put that out there. I went there and I didn't expect him to give me rides and I don't know if it was out of the kindness of his heart that he did or whether he thinks I'm worthy.

"I just wanted him (Via Egnatia) to enjoy himself as he has been very keen in his last two runs. Today he was very good and he enjoyed himself. Mr Gosden said to go forward on him.

"He just quickened very nicely into the dip and he came out of it just as good."

Summer Chorus joined the list of horses to have struck at both the July Course and the Rowley Mile when getting up close home to take victory in the British EBF Fillies' Series Sprint Handicap.

Having scored at the July Course earlier in the year, the three-year-old tasted success for the first time since that win after sticking to the task well late on in the six-furlong contest.

Although with work still to do inside the final furlong, Jimmy Quinn had a willing partner in the Andrew Balding-trained 9-2 shot with the pair wearing down Pixeleen late in the day before obliging by a short-head.

Quinn said: "She has run some very good races all year. She has been placed twice since winning but she has been drawn on the wing and could not get any cover.

"Today she got cover and she finished well. The second pinched a couple of lengths on us in the dip but she is very tough and has a good turn of foot and she picked up well.

"She is only a small filly but she has got a big heart. Fair play to Andrew Balding for keeping me on her."

Muffri'Ha took full advantage of a drop in class to open her account for the season when defying top weight in the British EBF Promoting Fillies' Series Handicap.

Despite giving all of her rivals upwards of 7lb, the 11-2 shot kept trainer William Haggas' bandwagon rolling when pulling out plenty in the mile contest.

Having finished third in a Listed event over course and distance eight days ago, the four-year-old showed that race had no lasting effects when striking under Pat Cosgrave for a first win since July 2015.

Seemingly benefiting from being ridden prominently, the daughter of Iffraaj showed her appetite for a battle when pulling clear inside the final furlong to win by a length and three-quarters.

Haggas said: "She travelled well and won nicely. I thought it was a good performance. She travelled sweetly the whole way through and stayed on really well.

"It was the first time we had led with her and maybe I've been giving the jockey wrong instructions.

"These races are what breeders want. They want these races for those horses that are not quite good enough to win at Listed and Group Three level.

"She is a useful filly and she will retire rated 100 plus. I should think we will see her out again this year, but I don't think we will next year."

Andrea Atzeni will be hoping the victory of Sharja Queen in the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Series Middle Distance Handicap is a sign of things to come at Chantilly tomorrow.

The Italian jockey teamed up with trainer Roger Varian to strike in the silks of owner Sheikh Mohammed Obad Al Maktoum which he will wear in France in 24 hours time aboard Postponed in this year's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Although returning a disappointing favourite when finishing only fifth in a Listed contest at Salisbury just over seven weeks ago the three-year-old made amends when reverting back to handicap company to claim a second a success of the season.

While out of her depth on her previous visit to the track when finishing down the field behind Minding in the 1000 Guineas in May the daughter of Pivotal was not to be denied on this occasion.

After drawing alongside long time leader Malmoosa inside the final furlong of the mile and a quarter contest the 6-1 shot pulled out more when required to go on and score by a length and a quarter.

Atzeni said: "Hopefully it will be exactly the same tomorrow. She went very well in her home work lately and we were going in very confident.

"The only thing was the ground. We didn't know if it was too quick but it is safe ground out there.

"The ground was like a road last time and while she got away with it the time before she never really enjoyed herself on it last time."

Eve Johnson-Houghton had the last laugh after Accidental Agent executed a well-devised plan to perfection when flashing home in the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.

Having been bought back for 8,000 guineas at last year's Tattersalls sales, the 14-1 shot showed he was worth every penny when making it two wins from four starts with a length success in the six-furlong prize.

She said: "This has been the plan for a while. I took him out at Goodwood as the ground was just a bit on the soft side.

"He got a bit lost in the dip but he showed a lovely turn of foot. My mother bred him. He went to the sales and had an 8,000 guineas reserve.

"Nobody looked at him and this family has got black type in it. We bought him back for 8,000 guineas and we've had the last laugh.

"He is going to make a seriously nice horse for next year. I know it was only a book three race, but there were some nice horses in there.

"We might possibly look at getting some black type with him as it can be easier at two, but we will see how he comes out of it."

The concluding EBF Fillies' Series #thisfillycan Handicap went the way of the Amanda Perrett-trained Elysian Fields (8-1).