Catwalk a model pupil

The Derby-winning trainer William Haggas's judgement was proved spot on at Newmarket yesterday when he pitched once-raced filly Catwalk against more seasoned rivals in the feature race at the Suffolk course, the Sweet Solera Stakes. The daughter of Shirley Heights, unplaced in a maiden on her first appearance, belied her inexperience in a last-furlong tussle with Fernanda, responding well to Michael Hills' urgings to win by a head.

She now faces a step up in class to Group Three level, with the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster and the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood pencilled in. Haggas, while pleased that the filly had progressed enough to win a race that often produces a useful performer - one-time Oaks favourite Bint Salsabil won last year - refused to get carried away, saying: "I don't think it was a great race this time. I wouldn't often be tempted to run a maiden in a stakes race, but mind you, the last time I did that it was Bog Trotter, and he won by four lengths.

"I knew she had improved after her first run, though, because she can now get past my old lead horse Rock Symphony, and when a two-year-old can mosey past him it's a sign that it can go a bit."

Catwalk gave Haggas his first juvenile winner of the season, and notched up a family double for stable lass Beatrix Rolfing, who also looked after her dam Moogie.

Unlike Frankie Dettori, Polar Prince made a winning return from injury when he swooped late under an ice-cool ride from Philip Robinson in an all-Newmarket finish to the New Zealand Handicap. The Michael Jarvis-trained three-year-old needed four stitches after his seventh-place finish in the Bunbury Cup over the same course and distance at the July meeting, but put those troubles behind him with a three-quarter length victory from Prince Babar yesterday. He now heads for the City of York Stakes at the Ebor meeting next week.

Gary Hind will miss the big York fixture after picking up a ban for irresponsible riding at Newmarket on Friday. The jockey was stood down from 18-24 August after his mount Poppy Carew was disqualified in favour of Bint Salsabil.

But Kieren Fallon, whose job as first jockey to Henry Cecil next year was announced late on Friday evening, proved luckier at Haydock yesterday. He fell foul of the stewards for his jockeyship on Insider Trader in the sprint handicap, but because it was judged to be merely careless his two- day suspension sandwiches York and its clutch of Group One events.

Tamayaz dented a couple of tall reputations when he turned the Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock into a procession. Two furlongs out in the Group Three race, expected to concern the one-time Derby favourite, Nash House, and the fourth at Epsom, Glory Of Dancer, Gary Carter was sitting motionless on the Godolphin colourbearer, who stormed away from his toiling rivals to score by five lengths.

Ela-Aristokrati stayed on into second place and Captain Horatius edged out Glory Of Dancer for third, but Nash House, running for the first time since May, flopped, beating only one home, and may have broken a blood- vessel. It was a first Pattern win for Tamayaz, who has run consistently well in top company and paid a considerable compliment to two of his conquerors this year, Cigar and First Island. He will stick to yesterday's ten-furlong trip in future.

l Laura Shally, still awaiting the post-mortems on the three horses she has lost through suspected poisoning, yesterday spoke on television, defending Mr Sox, the horse whose fall led to the death of Richard Davis at Southwell. Jockey Andy Larnach has claimed Shally told him the gelding had a cracked pelvis. Shally said: "Andrew knows in his heart of hearts what the truth is and I think he has a lot to live with."