Yorktown had been running really well in defeat in recent weeks, so we were delighted to see him get off the mark with a deserved success at Kempton Park yesterday evening.

He had finished third at the course last time, despite not really having the race run to suit.  However, they went a decent gallop yesterday and that played to his strengths - he travelled well, as is usually the case, but on this occasion the leaders came back to him and Ross Coakley brought Yorktown with a well-timed challenge on the outside to hit the front in the final furlong.

I'm sure there are plenty more races to be won with him on the All-Weather and hopefully he can build on this first success.  Many congratulations to his owners Clare Spencer-Herbert and Laurence Bellman!

Rosearelli had shown ability in novice and maiden company over hurdles late last year and, back from a couple of months off, she took a nice step forward on her chasing debut to score at Market Rasen.

The daughter of Schiaparelli is a half-sister to a five-time winner over fences and the switch to the larger obstacles, together with the move into handicap company, clearly had a very positive effect.  She travelled really nicely through the race under James Bowen and, but for a couple of minor mistakes, she jumped really well in the main.  She really had to knuckle down up the run-in to hold off the persistent challenge of the runner-up and it was a very game performance.

I'm sure she'll learn plenty from it and hopefully she can continue to progress in the coming months.  Many congratulations to members of the Select Racing Club and in particular to Alison Hyde, for whom Rosearelli was a first homebred winner!