'It's taken him a long time to win' - John Butler celebrates first Ascot success as Zain Blue breaks maiden

John Butler's first success at Ascot was met with relief as much as jubilation after Zain Blue secured a belated maiden win in the mile handicap. 

The three-year-old finished ahead of subsequent Commonwealth Cup runner-up Lake Forest on his debut last year and was placed in all three starts as a juvenile, but finally claimed his first win in eight outings in the £20,000 handicap. 

The race was not without incident after Callum Shepherd had a nasty fall off Magnum Opus, who clipped heels with runner-up Cerulean Bay entering the home straight. 

The jockey, who has a full book of rides at Ascot on Saturday, including Summer Mile favourite Quddwah, was attended to on track but walked away with a bandaged head. 

Zain Blue went on to win at 10-1 under Connor Beasley, finishing three-quarters of a length clear of Cerulean Bay. 

"It's taken him a long time to win a race," said Butler. "On his two-year-old form we thought he would be able to win before now and it's been a little bit disappointing to be on this rating. 

"He was second here two runs back and there's just been a few little things, but he's a sound horse and I think he'll keep winning races. It's onwards and upwards now."

Shadwell success 

Ya Hafhd produced a dominant success in the feature fillies' handicap for Roger Varian. The Shadwell four-year-old was well beaten at Goodwood last time but thrived under Jack Mitchell, whose switch to front-running tactics paid off with a length-and-a-quarter success. 

"She's very lightly raced and is a typical Sea The Stars filly – she's going to improve with racing," the jockey said. 

"We're not sure what happened at Goodwood. It might have been the track or her inexperience got the better of her, but this change in tactics seems to have worked. Hopefully, there's a lot left in the tank and going up in distance even further might suit her." 

Dream rocks up

Dreamloper provided Ed Walker with his last Group 1 victory but it was her half-sister Dreamrocker who was in the winner's enclosure on Friday with success in the mile apprentice handicap. 

A gap in the field looked hard to come by for the four-year-old until the final furlong, when she surged to the front under William Carver to win by a neck.

Walker enjoyed a perfect Friday with two wins from two runners after Fantasy Believer defied 18-1 odds in the 1m2f handicap under Saffie Osborne. 

Powerful finish

There were just five runners in the 6f nursery but it did not lack competitiveness after Art Market came out on top in a thrilling four-way battle. 

Less than a length separated the first four home with victory going to the William Haggas-trained colt, who beat dead-heat runners-up Berkshire Kameo and Patsy Snugfit by a neck with Number half a length away in fourth. 

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