'He'll go straight to the Coventry, that's the obvious race for him' - Royal Ascot target for 12-length debut winner

You do sometimes get what you pay for. Asadna cost 160,000gns at last month's Craven Breeze-Up Sale but he looked money well spent as he bolted up on a scintillating debut.

The colt out of the aptly named Looks Great ran away with the 6f novice event and scored by 12 lengths to earn a 12-1 quote for the Coventry Stakes from Paddy Power.

Trainer George Boughey, who won two handicaps at Royal Ascot last year but has yet to land a juvenile race at the meeting, said of the winner: "He's a lovely horse with a super mind and he was very well prepared at the breeze-ups. I didn't expect him to win as well as he did today but we thought he'd run very well.

"He'll go straight to the Coventry, that's the obvious race for him, and it's good to have another nice horse for owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah, who is a big supporter of the yard."

Jockey William Buick added: "He couldn't have done any more than he did. It's a tough track for a two-year-old, it's very undulating. It caught him out early on but he managed to get himself as balanced as he could. 

"It was first time out so there's improvement there and he did it very well."

Full value for a win

Tom Marquand got one back on Buick in the early days of the jockeys' championship with a double for William Haggas on Pinafore and Market Value, who is out of the late Queen's Gold Cup winner Estimate.

After landing the fillies' maiden in the royal colours, he said: "It's a poignant winner because of the joy Estimate brought. 

"It was a good performance. She's a game filly and she's getting the hang of what's going on.

"I felt every little ridge and bump along the way, but she's done it well and galloped out strongly. It's a good reason to bring them here because they learn how to use themselves."

Ruth Carr: successful with Forseeable Future in the apprentice handicap

Worth waiting for

Champion apprentice Benoit de la Sayette had his first ride for Ruth Carr eight months later than planned, but it was worth the wait.

He was seen at his best in getting Forseeable Future home in the 5f apprentice handicap, holding off Van Gerwen by a nose in a finish so tight the trainer admitted she would have taken a dead-heat.

And Carr then revealed: "Benoit was supposed to ride this horse for us at Yarmouth last year but unfortunately he spread a plate on the way to the races and wasn't fit to run. So that's his first ride for us – and first winner."

It was a 21st winner of 2023 for the trainer, whose 16 per cent strike-rate is six points higher than in any of her previous 15 seasons.

"It's been a really good time, the horses have just been in good form," said Carr, who believes there could be even better to come.

"We're not doing anything different and I think the horses will keep improving as they get a bit of sunshine – they get turned out all the time and really appreciate the sun."

Read this next:

'I don't blame him' - owner defends conditional jockey over Uttoxeter disqualification 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.