Hills win tempered by ban

Richard Hills enjoyed a victory in one Oaks trial but got banned from taking part in another on an eventful supporting card to the Sagitta 1000 Guineas at Newmarket today.

Hills was aboard as Esloob made a winning, if workmanlike, seasonal debut in the RL Davison Pretty Polly Stakes.

The Listed contest has been captured by some decent fillies in recent years, including last year`s winner Mot Juste, and hopes are high that Esloob`s career will progress in the same way.

Sent off the 10-11 favourite, Esloob had to dig deep to hold off Disco Volante by a length but responded gamely to the urgings of his rider.

Half Glance, conceding 7lb to the first two, was far from disgraced in finishing a further neck back in third.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning was pleased with the winner`s effort and reported that Esloob could go straight to Epsom for the Vodafone Oaks without another run.

'She`s not a stuffy filly and it`s a definite possibility,' he said.

'She is stoutly bred and will definitely get a mile and a half. She was ready enough today but there`s definitely still improvement in her.'

Tregoning compared Esloob to her dam, Roseate Tern, who finished placed in the 1989 Oaks and St Leger.

'She is a bit lazy, like her mother,' he said. 'She didn`t pull right away but we know what she is like at home and she only does enough, just like her dam again.

'I`m not sure how good a race it was but she has won and that`s the important thing.'

While Esloob looks likely to go for the Vodafone Oaks, Disco Volante is a probable contender for the French version of the race.

Trainer John Gosden reported: 'I couldn`t be happier with her, she ran an absolute blinder.

'I think a mile and a quarter is her trip when there is a bit more juice in the ground.

'I wouldn`t run her at Epsom as she is very leggy and she wouldn`t handle the downhill track. But the French Oaks is a strong possibility.'

But despite initiating 31-1 a double, Hills` afternoon had taken a turn for the worse when he collected a one-day ban for careless riding after the finish of the Mail on Sunday Mile Qualifier.

As in Saturday`s 2000 Guineas, the field for the race into two groups wide apart on either side of the course.

But this time it was the runners drawn low who came out on top, with the Hills-ridden Atlantic Quest (from stall six) passing the post a neck ahead of Far Lane (one), with Zandicular (two) another short-head away in third.

However Hills was found guilty of careless riding after his mount interfered with Zandicular and his one-day suspension (May 14) rules him out of action in another key Oaks trial on Tattersalls Musidora Stakes day at York.

Border Subject had got favourite-backers off to the ideal start when making all to win the Curtis Medical Rated Stakes.

The well-backed 15-8 market-leader was quickly out of the stalls and sent straight into an advantage by Steve Drowne, the pair won unchallenged by three lengths from Chookie Heiton.

Winning trainer Roger Charlton was at Salisbury to supervise his five runners there, but assistant Tom Grantham revealed that Border Subject may make a quick reappearance later this week.

'He`s had a couple of nice races where he has been able to get his head in front now and he is obviously enjoying himself,' Grantham said.

'He is in at Lingfield on Friday and as he won there last year we know he likes the track.'

First Ballot proved a disappointment over jumps last season but looks set to do well back on the Flat after he ran out a game winner of the March Handicap at 14-1.