Friday 2nd June

Cadillac (12-1) defied 9st 11lbs to come home in front in the £100,000 Betfred Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

The Five Year Old Lope De Vega gelding progressed to take the lead entering the final furlong and stayed on well to score by a length and three-quarters from the 100/30 Favourite Majestic.

George Boughey, trainer of Cadillac, said: “I thought we were a little bit too far back but I’d said to Kevin he should ride him for luck, as we weren’t particularly well drawn. Fast ground is key to him and I didn’t want to run him on Guineas weekend.

“When he came to me he used to wear blinkers (had cheekpieces for the first time here), but he’s a very honest horse. I think left-handed is quite key to him too, and Sam Haggas, who I work closely with, was a big advocate for that.

“It’s a huge thrill and I’m delighted for Sheikh Abdullah, who is a big supporter of the yard. He’s beautifully bred and came to us from Jessica (Harrington) and then Kevin (Philppart de Foy) and it’s lovely to be the recipient of him now. He’s a fun horse, and the Wolferton has always been the plan, although that’s right-handed.”

Winning rider Kevin Stott said: “It was a brilliant run. He settled really nicely and picked up really well. He didn’t like the ground the last day (at Newmarket) so that was much more like it.”

Jack Channon, trainer of the second Majestic, said: “That was a cracking run - our horse and Richard Spencer’s were having a proper ding-dong up the straight, and something came along with a wet sail and beat us both. I’m not going to blame the ground, it is what it is, but he [Majestic] would prefer it with a bit more good in it.

“There are lots of big summer handicaps coming up and he might struggle to get in them with a mark of 98, but there’s lots of things to aim him at. I’m delighted with the way he ran.”

Richard Spencer, trainer of third-placed The City’s Phantom (50-1) said: “He loved that ground. I don’t know what he will do next exactly, but it will be on ground like this.”