Racing Centre

Punjabi (left) wins the Buy Horses At Re-offer.com Handicap

IT IS not often you see a champion hurdler at Newmarket. But this afternoon saw Punjabi - a Punchestown hero earlier in the spring - return to the Flat for the first time since 2006 to score in the Buy Horses At Re-offer.com Handicap.

Jockey Eddie Ahern, who recorded a double on the day, just had sufficient up his sleeve to repel the favourite Mad Rush in a thrilling climax to the 1m 4f contest.

Mad Rush, a well-backed 13/8 shot, was flying at the end but Ahern drove out the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old - rated just 76 on the Flat - to score by a neck.

Jeremy Noseda watched Kissing The Camera maintain the hot form of his two-year-old team as she took the NGK Spark Plugs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket today. The Galileo filly became the fourth of Newmarket trainer Noseda’s juveniles to score from just six runners in 2008.

Under jockey Ryan Moore she wore down Misdaqeya in the closing strides of the six-furlong event to oblige at odds of 3/1. Noseda was extra pleased as it gave him a first success with his first runner for new owner Paul Makin, who had the top-class Starcraft.

Kissing The Camera is now likely to be next seen out at Royal Ascot, stepped up to seven furlongs for the Chesham Stakes.

Noseda said: “I’m delighted with that. It was a good solid performance and she will improve for the race. We will most probably have a tilt at the Chesham next as she would get the trip no problem. She is a nice forward-going type.”

Fellow Newmarket-based trainer Luca Cumani was on target in the Frontrunner For Windows Handicap with Ask The Butler, who landed the gamble of the day. The four-year-old was backed in to 11/2 from an opening show of 12/1 and got up in the shadow of the post from Jeer.

Cumani said: “I’m very pleased and very surprised. The horse only joined us at the beginning of the year so this was a bit of a fact-finding mission. I’m delighted he’s done it so well as we didn’t expect it.”

Henry Cecil unleashed a useful-looking newcomer in the shape of Ancient Lights, who won the SIAS Building Services Anniversary Maiden Stakes. Ridden by Ahern, he beat Meethaaq by a length and a quarter with a further six lengths back to the third to suggest the first two home are worth keeping tabs on.

Cecil said: “Potentially, he has got something for us to look forward to. If he hadn’t suffered from quarter-cracks, he would have been out much earlier. He is one of the horses I like most in the yard.”

Plum Pudding made every yard to run out a five-length winner of the 7f Re-offer.com 1^st June Breeze Up Handicap.

The second of the three-day meeting gets underway tomorrow (Saturday) with the first race due off at 2.20pm.

By Tony Rushmer