Asaal, from the Barry Hills stable, followed up his Pontefract triumph when mastering Launfal by a length and a half for the Cranborne Conditions Stakes at Salisbury yesterday in the hands of the trainer's son Richard.

Asaal holds a Group One entry in the Thoroughbred Corporation Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October but Hills' assistant Kevin Mooney said: "That may be it for the season as he will be a nice horse next year but we'll have to wait and see what the governor thinks."

Epsom trainer Jon Akehurst ended a two-month losing spell when Passion For Life ploughed a lone furrow home through the mud. Despite all his weighing room colleagues opting to race on the stands side rail, Gary Hind elected to remain on the far side of the course aboard the winner and the ploy worked to perfection as the pair lifted the Tote Jackpot Showcase Handicap. Akehurst, who also saddled favourite Marsad to finish third, seemed slightly embarrassed by the outcome, saying: "The plot's gone slightly wrong but a winner's a winner. I'm expecting the phone to start ringing in a minute because both horses are in the same ownership.

"I actually told both jockeys to keep on the far side. Gary seems to have understood the instructions but I think Tony McGlone must have got his right and left sides all mixed up but there you go."