'We won't be afraid to roll the dice' - no hangover for red-hot trainer Ralph Beckett

There was no let down after an astonishing weekend for Ralph Beckett as he landed a one-two in the Champion Two Years Old Trophy and revealed possible Group 1 plans for winner Task Force.

The trainer won two Group 2 races and a Listed event on Saturday in what he called a "surreal" hour and a quarter, and struck with his only runner on Sunday.

Beckett made it a remarkable 35 winners in August as Mexicali Rose scored at Chepstow shortly before Task Force, a Salisbury debut winner out of dual 1,000 Guineas winner Special Duty, saw off five rivals who had each run at least three times when taking the Listed feature by a length and a quarter from stablemate Matters Most.

"We like the second, he appears to be improving, and Task Force was green on the undulations but still got it done," said Beckett. "That's encouraging."

The Rossa Ryan-ridden winner holds entries in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes and Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, and his trainer said: "We won't be afraid to roll the dice. He had to be pretty good to do that there as I'm not sure that's his ground either.

"He's in the Middle Park, and I wouldn't be convinced about seven furlongs for the time being, we might stick at six."

Beckett hopes to keep his fine run going when August turns to September, and looking ahead to Saturday he said: "Hopefully we'll run Mortlake in the Solario at Sandown. He's a nice horse and we like him."

Zeus thunders home

Keith Brown, the property developer whose love affair with horses began when he rode those who pulled the carts to and from the docks in Hull nearly 70 years ago, hopes he may have found another good one in Power Of Zeus.

The owner's brown colours have been carried by Queen Elizabeth II Stakes runner-up Top Notch Tonto and dual Galway festival winner Dream Walker among others, and he has high hopes for the Brian Ellison-trained two-year-old, who won the 6f maiden going away.

Brown's only regret was the flu bug which kept him at home, from where he said: "I'm gutted I'm not there because he looks a class act.

"I knew he was a good athlete. In his first race he didn't know his backside from his elbow – he was tailed off. Then he improved and improved so I knew there was a chance he'd do something, but I'm shocked – in an extremely nice way.

"He might have a good future. I know I've got something nice and I'm curious to see what we actually do have."

The 12-1 winner is one of eight horses Brown has in training, and the owner added: "I've been in racing virtually all my life and it has its frustrations. The chances of ordinary people like me getting a good horse are very small, but I've been there and bought the T-shirt."

Tinkler triumph

Nigel Tinkler was delighted to land the Ripon Rowels Handicap with Isla Kai, who scored by three-quarters of a length under Rowan Scott.

"It's fantastic to win this old race," the trainer said. "I'd never won it before. It's great for owners Martin and Lisa Webb as they are loyal supporters to the yard."

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