WILLIAM Buick made a rare trip to Redcar worthwhile as he landed a double towards his quest to be 2022 champion flat jockey.

Buick had headed to the North-East coast the day after winning the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai de Poulains on Charlie Appleby’s Modern Games at Longchamp, in Paris.

However, he had a frustrating start to his afternoon when his first three rides – Grant Me Serenity, Rose’s Girl, and Rendition – all finished third.

That was put right when odds-on favourite Legend of Xanadu, trained in Berkshire by Mick Channon, skated home in The racingtv.com EBF Restricted Novice Stakes.

Buick said: “It was a very useful experience and he won as he liked. Being by Sixties Icon, he was always going to go through the softer ground.”

The double was sealed when Rebel At Dawn, trained at Leyburn by Karl Burke, held off the Michael Dods-trained Sir Titus by a neck in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap.

The first three races were won by Newmarket horses, starting with Aquaplano making his racecourse experience tell as he justified favouritism under Dylan Hogan in the opening Pat and Les Holmes Memorial Restricted Maiden Stakes.

Hogan said: “I kept it simple and used his experience. He’s a lovely straightforward horse.”

That was followed by Belhaven, trained by Harry Eustace, landing the Racing TV Straight Mile Fillies' Handicap Stakes, with George Wood making the most of his only ride of the day.

Wood said: "In time you'll see a better and better filly. She was on a nice mark of 67 for her handicap debut. We were a bit concerned when the ground turned softer, but she’s done it nicely.”

The third race, the Racingtv.com Fillies' Novice Stakes, went to the impeccably bred Elegant Verse, who out-stayed favourite Remembering. The winner, by the mighty Galileo out of Group 1-winning mare Special Duty, was ridden by Robert Havlin and trained by John & Thady Gosden.

Malton trainer Nigel Tinkler’s orders to Faye McManoman ahead of riding Dandy Dinmont in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap was "Don't panic".

And the three-pound claimer did as she was told with the Dandy Man gelding flying home inside the final furlong to land the prize.

Tinkler said: “He ran too keen last time so the instruction was to not to panic and stay cool. We’ll see what happens but he’s unfortunate not to have won by now and he’ll get six furlongs.”

McManoman added: “I had the option to go round them but I didn’t want to give up too much ground, and picked my route carefully. He did it fantastically.”

The horse was bought from Goffs Sales by Mark Ollier, Stuart Perkins and MPS Racing. Mark, whose company Autobodyshop Ltd makes horseboxes, said: “We thought he’d win at Doncaster but it was really fast going and we were confident on this softer ground. He needs holding up and Faye’s done a great job.”

After a mostly cloudy day, the sun came out in time for Mostly Cloudy, trained in North Yorkshire by Gemma Tutty, to win the finale, The Watch Racing TV ON Sky 426 Handicap, with a perfectly-timed ride by in-form Connor Beasley.

Gemma, who took over the licence from mum Karen six weeks ago, said: “We know he’s got a turn of foot and Connor gave him a peach of a ride. He rode him at Wolverhampton and he’s a jockey who does his homework. He watched all his races on video and knew when to press the button.”

Owner Einer Eismark, who travelled up from Chichester to see the race, bought the horse at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale last October. The colt had been trained by Andrew Balding for his first run before moving to the Tutty yard.

Einer said: “He’s a dour stayer who needs further really. Connor’s a genius of a jockey.”