Ann Duffield provided her husband George with a welcome tonic when she sent out Prince Namid to win the Crows Nest Restaurant Novice Median Auction Stakes under Steve Carson at Redcar yesterday.

Prince Namid made virtually all, asserting from the furlong marker to pass the post with five lengths to spare over Mas O Menos, with Jane Jubilee third and last, the three other intended runners having been withdrawn.

Duffield is still recovering from injuries sustained when he was kicked in the parade ring at Warwick a week ago.

His wife said: ''George is sore but is recovering, but I have no idea when he will be back. We are not even thinking about it yet.

''He was lifted about five feet off the ground by the kick and with the shock lowering his blood pressure, it was a very worrying time.

"It is very frustrating for him, but he walked up to the gallops to watch the horses work on Saturday and today, so things are going the right way.''

Of Prince Namid, Mrs Duffield added: ''He is a lovely horse. As he had a tough race at Pontefract last time, we wanted to find a confidence-boosting race for him, and he has done it well.

''This is our second two-year-old winner and the other two we have run have been placed.''

Carson, riding his first winner for Mrs Duffield, said: ''I have the same agent as George - Keith Bradley, who does a great job for me. It took me four hours to get up here, so having a winner helps.''

Robert Winston got Rocinante home in a tight finish to the Classic Suite Handicap, after which trainer John Quinn said: ''That is 13 for the season. I don't like running three in a race (he also saddled Smart Minister, 13th, and Thunderclap, 16th), but what can you do when there are not the races for them?''

Jimmy O'Reilly teamed up with his son James to land the Voltigeur Restaurant Claiming Stakes with Dizzy In The Head, after which the Barnsley trainer said: ''Dizzy In The Head has loads of ability, but is the biggest rogue in racing. The eye-shield worked this time, but it is not forced to next time.''

Tim Easterby's Extremely Rare made it third time lucky when opening her account in game fashion under apprentice David Allan in the Classic Boxes Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

Easterby, who trains the winner for his mother Marjorie, said: ''Extremely Rare is as game as a pebble. I thought the other one was going to beat her but she battled, and he rode her well, didn't he?''

Ray Craggs, based a couple of miles from Sedgefield, saddled his second winner in three days when Waterpark landed the toteexacta Fillies' Stakes for the second year running.

Craggs, who also owns the six-year-old mare, said: ''I am very shocked - I thought she would be needing the race. But she's not bad for only 500 guineas, is she!

''She was sent to the Doncaster Sales, but no-one wanted her and I got her with my first bid. She had had some good form as a two-year-old, so I took a chance.''

Michael Bell has quite a good winners-to-runners ratio at the course and was on the mark again when Ian Mongan brought Magic Sting home in front in the Saffie Joseph & Sons Handicap.