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Mark Johnston back among winners at Beverley

DONCASTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12:  Trainer Mark Johnston before The At The Races Champagne Stakes Race run at Doncaster Racecourse on September 12, 2015 i
Image: Trainer Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston claimed his first winner since the heartbreaking events in America on Saturday when Baileys Excelerate made all the running at Beverley.

Johnston lost stable star Permian in tragic circumstances at Arlington when the Royal Ascot winner shattered a leg in the Secretariat Stakes.

Baileys Excelerate had finished third on his debut at Musselburgh and with the benefit of that experience, the 3-1 shot was sent straight to the front by Joe Fanning.

With the rail to help, he was able to hold off the challenges of International Man and Global Conqueror by a neck and a length and three-quarters respectively in the Guest And Philips At Flemingate EBF Novice Stakes.

An emotional Deirdre Johnston, wife of the winning trainer, said: "He's a lovely horse and is growing all the time so wanted to take our time with him. There's lots to look forward to next year."

Michael Dods has a promising type on his hands, too, in Arcavallo, who won again under Paul Mulrennan.

The well-backed 6-4 favourite was giving plenty of weight away to nearly all of his rivals in the first division of the Welcome To Flemingate Ladies Day Novice Auction Stake, but came home a length and a half clear.

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"He's a horse with a future. I was a bit worried about the drying ground but we thought it was the first race and he'd be fine," said Dods.

"He's a lovely size and will make into a nice three-year-old."

The second division went the way of Richard Fahey's newcomer Equitant (8-1).

In what looked a deeper race than the opening contest, Tony Hamilton's mount kept on strongly to win going away by nearly three lengths.

Robin O'Ryan, Fahey's assistant, said: "He's a really nice horse and Tony really liked him. We thought he'd be a bit green but he was very professional."

The success was Hamilton's 50th winner of 2017 and he made it 51 with another Fahey inmate, Liquid Gold (5-2 favourite), in the Flemingate Beverley Handicap.

Hamilton ended the day with a treble after striking aboard Roger Fell's 15-8 favourite Muatadel in the Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap.

Declan Carroll, who suffered the huge blow of losing stable star Santry after a gallops accident on Wednesday morning, gained minor compensation as 6-1 shot Save The Bees clung on in determined fashion to win the Jill Willows Handicap under Ger O'Neil.

Course specialist Talent Scout made it win number six on the Westwood in the claimer for Karen and Gemma Tutty.

Michael Bell's Maori Bob was a 5-2 winner of the Secret Garden Gin Bar Handicap under 5lb claimer Lulu Stanford.

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