Delegator Flops As Red Jazz Scores

Red Jazz - took the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.

Red Jazz dug deep to bag the Victor Chandler Challenge Stakes, the opening event on Champions' Day at Newmarket.

Sent off a 5-1 chance, the Barry Hills-trained winner was last seen finishing third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Stepped back to Group Two company here, he raced in company with Main Aim up the stands side before kicking for home well over a furlong out.

Cat Junior tried to challenge inside the distance but Red Jazz kept responding to Robert Winston's every urging to pull two and a quarter lengths clear at the line.

Main Aim kept on for third a further nose adrift, but 6-4 favourite Delegator proved disappointing, finishing only fourth after racing down the middle of the track.

Winston said: "He's a really tough performer and he ran well at Ascot in a Group One last time.

"We were dropping him back to seven furlongs, but he has plenty of pace to sit handy.

"I got a nice lead off Ryan (Moore on Main Aim) to the two and a half pole and we were on the fresh ground. I knew he would dig deep for me."

Hills added: "He's going to stay in training next year and he might go to Dubai in the spring before we look at races like the Lockinge, the Queen Anne and that sort of thing.

"He's had a lot of problems with his feet but a lot of good horses have in the past.

"Robert rides very well, he comes down to us twice a week - everyone deserves another chance."

Cat Junior's trainer Brian Meehan said: "I was very pleased with his run and it was all Group One form ahead of him. He has won over £270,000 now - there are not too many like that. He has a sales entry and I'm not sure what the plans are."

Sir Michael Stoute said of Main Aim: "That has to be one of his best runs. I think the visor helped. He probably won't stay in training for next year, but there is a race in France we'll take a look at."