RIPP Orf showed his liking for big-field races at Ascot by winning for the second time this season at the track, writes Dave Wright.

Trained by David Elsworth, the four-year-old followed up his success in the 27-runner Victoria Cup in May by leading home 19 rivals in the £80,000 seven-furlong Cunard Handicap last Saturday.

The 7/1 shot, in the cool hands of 3lb claimer Jason Watson, came from a long way back to beat 9/2 favourite Cape Byron, ridden by Andrea Atzeni, by half-a-length with Sabador (12/1) a neck behind in third.

Watson boosted his chances of finishing top of the apprentice jockeys championship even further by also winning the Ritz Club EBF Breeders Series Fillies’ Handicap for Lambourn trainer Clive Cox on Simply Breathless at 6/1.

Amandine shot two lengths clear with a furlong to run, but Watson unleashed the three-year-old late and Simply Breathless produced a good turn of foot to win by three-quarters of a length.

In addition to young Watson, there was also a double on the day for Atzeni.

The 27-year-old from Sardinia won the Italian Tourist Board British EBF Novice Stakes on newcomer Turjomaan (16/1) trained by Roger Varian, and doubled up on the Ed Walker-trained Fille De Reve, the 9/2 joint-favourite, in the Fever-Tree Handicap, holding on by a nose to beat Ice Lord, ridden by Hollie Doyle.

The in-form Walker was back in the winner’s enclosure after his Mountain Peak (6/1), ridden by Liam Keniry, had won the Hallgarten Wines Handicap, landing the five-furlong sprint by half-a-length from 5/1 favourite Open Wide, the mount of Atzeni. It took Upper Lambourn-based Walker’s winning tally to nine in the first eight days of this month.

Newmarket trainer John Gosden and jockey Rob Havlin also completed an Ascot double with Shambolic (11/4) in the Royal Foresters British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes and with First Eleven, the 5/2 joint favourite, in the £100,000 Lavazza Stakes, where he finished two lengths clear of the other joint-favourite, Ghostwatch, ridden by William Buick.

Ascot’s next meeting is on October 5 and 6, with Saturday’s feature race being the £180,000 Totescoop6 Challenge Cup.