'That was a good performance under a 7lb penalty' - Saeed bin Suroor doubles up on day one of the Eastern festival

Saeed bin Suroor often enjoys a day out at the Eastern festival and he made the trip up the A11 worthwhile with a double kicked off when Midnight Thunder struck under a penalty in the 6f novice.

The well-backed 4-5 chance looked to be on the best part of the track up the middle when showing a smart gear change under Oisin Murphy to master Winnebago.

The sun was shining on the North Denes and the son of Kodiac could also be heading for warmer climes this winter as part of the Bin Suroor team at the Dubai Carnival.

The Godolphin trainer said: "Midnight Thunder has improved from his last win at Windsor and that was a good performance under a 7lb penalty. He likes easy ground, so the drying ground was not ideal for him. 

"We'll maybe look for a Group 3 or Listed race for him next and then take him to Dubai where he should be suited to racing at the carnival."

The same combination later doubled up when Summer Of Love also booked her carnival ticket when making a successful transition to sprinting in the 6f fillies' handicap.

Murphy was again on the right part of the track on the 5-6 favourite, who was doing all of her best work at the finish to put Rosy Affair in the shade.

The winning trainer said: "We have the Listed Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket on October 4 in mind for her and then we will take her to Dubai."

Johnston flies in

Charlie Johnston flew down from North Yorkshire to see Green Storm land the odds in emphatic style in the 1m1f maiden.

The two-year-old, who scored by nine and half lengths under Billy Loughnane, could have a Group 1 on his agenda which Johnston and owner Ahmed Al Shaikh know all about.

The trainer said: "He's in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud which we won a few years ago for the owner with Dubai Mile. He could go there or something like the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket."

Green Storm returns in triumph after the 1m1f maiden

Naina lands gamble

The three-day festival began with a winner bred, trained and owned in Newmarket in the shape of Naina in the 7f nursery.

The well-backed 5-1 chance was always on the pace under Silvestre de Sousa and defied her lack of size to land something of a gamble for trainer John Ryan having been double those odds in the morning.

The daughter of Expert Eye was registering a third win after a drop in class and is the first foal of Queen Of Australia, who is owned by Ryan's long-standing owners Steve and Sara Russell.

Ryan said: "She may be only tiny, but she has a heart as big as a bucket." 

De Sousa followed up when Sniper's Eye just lasted home in the 1m2f handicap for trainer David Simcock.

Naina and Silvestre de Sousa after their victory in the opening 7f nursery

Holland to Bahrain

Darryll Holland was singing the praises of Jason Watson after the jockey steered his filly Grace Angel to an all-the-way win in the 5f handicap.

The Exning trainer said: "I didn't give him any instructions as the good jockeys don't need them and the bad jockeys aren't good enough to carry them out. 

"Hopefully we can get this filly to Bahrain after that as she just missed the cut-off point last winter. She loves fast ground, so would be ideal for over there."

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