Millenary continues to impress

Millenary, last season`s St Leger winner, looked better than ever when producing a powerful performance on his reappearance at Newmarket today.

John Dunlop`s four-year-old looked in tremendous condition before the Sagitta Jockey Club Stakes, and was a clear cut winner from Sandmason and last year`s French Derby winner Holding Court.

Three years ago Dunlop saw St Leger winner Silver Patriarch go down by a neck in the Jockey Club Stakes, only to come back and win the race the following season. Silver Patriarch came on from his Newmarket defeat to win the Coronation Cup and that Group One contest at Epsom next month is an obvious target for Millenary.

Meanwhile, Jockey Richard Hughes faces an enforced absence from York`s Dante meeting after being banned by the Newmarket stewards today.

Hughes, riding Salford Express in the Sagitta Jockey Club Stakes, was found guilty of interference of a minor nature when impeding eventual third Holding Court soon after the start of the mile-and-a-half event.

This offence brought a three-day ban and invoked a further four-day suspension which was deferred by the disciplinary committee last summer.

Hughes` ban runs from May 14-22.

Another rider to face the wrath of the stewards was Lee Newman who was stood down for one day after being found guilty of hitting runner-up Iron Mountain in the wrong place in the opening Portland Lodge Handicap.

As Newman received a 14-day ban at Bath earlier this week, this suspension will take place on May 25, lengthening his spell on the sidelines.