'At least he broke down and not the horse, thank God!' - a sore win for Parkin

Thursday: York

Owner Steve Parkin had to grimace through the pain barrier to collect his trophy for the Westow Stakes after his exuberant celebrations cheering on Last Crusader's success left him nursing a suspected torn calf.

Last Crusader, who runs in Parkin's Clipper Logistics colours, stormed to a two-and-a-quarter-length victory in the 5f Listed event under Danny Tudhope to leave connections dreaming of top-level glory – as well as a chair and medical assistance for Parkin in the winner's enclosure.

"Apparently he was jumping up and down so much he's torn his calf muscle," winning trainer Karl Burke said. "He's in a bit of pain actually and I hope it's not his achilles. At least he broke down and not the horse, thank God!"

Parkin said: "I was jumping up and down celebrating and I've torn my calf, I think. He [Last Crusader] has come up trumps and now I've got a bad leg."

Last Crusader was cut to 25-1 (from 66-1) for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, but Burke admitted it could be next season when he's contesting the top sprints.

The trainer said: "He's got some big entries, but we have to go home and think about it a bit. He's a proper horse and we need to let him develop. The sky's the limit for him."

Joy for Gemmell

Andrew Gemmell is a familiar sight at the Cheltenham Festival with Paisley Park, but the popular owner has a major festival on the Flat on his mind again with Cruyff Turn after he scored in the Hambleton Handicap.

Gemmell is already relishing a return to the Knavesmire for the Ebor festival in August with the Tim Easterby-trained five-year-old, who took his unbeaten record at the track to two wins from as many starts following his head success from the fast-finishing Brunch.

"That was very enjoyable. It was a great win and he loves this place, as do I. It's fantastic," Gemmell said. "I don't have as many on the Flat but I enjoy it so much as well.

"One would hope we come back here in August. He won the race at the meeting last year and there's no reason why he can't go and do it again."

Cruyff Turn (David Allan) holds off the fast-finishing Brunch (left) to land the HambletonCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

York's flagship meeting was also in Easterby's mind, with a defence of Cruyff Turn's crown in a mile heritage handicap the main target for the rest of the campaign.

The winning trainer said: "He's a super horse and galloped all over them. He got knocked over the bit the last day and it never went to plan. Happy days, it really is great.

"We'll be aiming him for the August meeting again, but this was one of his plans and it's come off. We'll work our way towards there now."

Lilac's road to glory

Tom Marquand heaped praise on his boss William Haggas for his expert tactical decision with Lilac Road after she recorded the biggest win of her career with a fast-finishing success in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes.

Extreme hold-up tactics have proved to be the making of the daughter of Mastercraftsman and she bagged her first Pattern success in this Group 2, weaving her way through the field in the home straight under Marquand to deny outsider Aristia by half a length.

"It was William at Salisbury last year who said 'drop her out the back and if it goes wrong it's my fault' – it's the best thing he ever could've said," explained Marquand.

Lilac Road (left) comes from the back to win the Middleton StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We probably don't need to be quite as extreme with those tactics anymore, but it was a question today of how far back do we go with her? They didn't go quickly, but we got away with it.

"I know you can say it afterwards, but I half expected her to go well. She's learning still, but if she continues on this path she's clearly a filly with a lot of talent."

Fine victory

Fine Wine does not always need time. The sprinter of that name made an unexpectedly quick return from his previous start at Hamilton on Sunday and landed the biggest prize of his career in the 5f handicap to earn a crack at the Epsom Dash on Derby day.

Trainer Scott Dixon said: "I had no intention of declaring him, but I trotted him up and he was like a dressage horse. I've been speaking about it [the Dash] for months – we've been second and third and I'd love to win it."

Royal date for Queen

Queen Olly set up a tilt at the Albany Stakes following her dazzling debut win in the 6f maiden, a victory which left trainer David Loughnane admitting she could be the best horse he has.

"I said I thought she was the nicest we had. They don't always do it, but she's done it tenfold," he said.

"I said the first day I sat on her that she's a Royal Ascot filly and she'll go for the Albany. It's all systems go."

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