KEVIN RYAN produced a potential star for the future when Palace Episode romped to an impressive debut victory at Catterick yesterday.

Ryan's two-year-old newcomer had the worst of the draw in stall ten, plus ran very wide on the home turn, but that didn't stop the son of Machiavellian sweeping past his nine rivals with imperious ease over the final couple of furlongs.

"He's a good horse with a great attitude," said the Sutton Bank handler, who has no big-race plans for the colt at present, although he did feel Palace Episode could be even better with some juice in the ground.

His near neighbour, David Nicholls, also made the winners' enclosure when Rudi's Pet nabbed a memorable 13th career success in the claimer.

The veteran eleven-year-old always had matters under control, justifying 11-8 favouritism by streaking clear under a tidy enough performance by stable apprentice Victoria Behan.

"Rudi's Pet doesn't owe us a penny but we kept him training for the kids to ride," explained Nicholls' wife, Alex Greaves, one of the most successful female jockeys of all time who has been Victoria's mentor and role model for the past couple of years.

The best finish of the afternoon came when Millfield edged out Mick Channon's Jasssey by a neck to take the Sanna's Post Nursery in the colours of Transcend Bloodstock, the company owned jointly by trainer Howard Johnson and his principal patron, Graham Wylie.

"He's won two for us and we'd like to sell him now, that's always been the plan," reported Johnson, adding that they'd had a few enquiries from abroad for purchasing some of the juveniles within the Transcend empire.

Welsh wizard Milton Bradley has his sprinters in terrific heart so it came as no surprise when the Chepstow-based maestro took the feature race on the card with One Way Ticket.

Having already prevailed aboard Palace Episode, One Way Ticket provided jockey Neil Callan with a sparkling 21-1 double, the combination making every yard of the running to capture the £10,000 5th Royal Artillery Handicap.

"He keeps finding a bit extra as we step him up in grade and there could be a bit more to come," said Milton.

* Kevin Darley will have his appeal against a ten-day ban heard at the Jockey Club today.

He was suspended for not riding out for third place on Mark Johnston-trained colt Meaningful at Ayr this month in a five-runner juvenile maiden.

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