SWEENEY TAKES CHARGE ON DIRECTOR

Running over the shorter distance of seven furlongs for the first time proved no hindrance to Directorship as he stormed to victory in the CGA Ladies Handicap at Newbury.

Campaigned between a mile and 10 furlongs in his previous 19 starts, Directorship (9-1) only took part as trainer Pat Chamings could find no other race for him, and it could turn out to be a masterstroke as the five-year-old followed up last month's Ascot win in great style.

Jockey Fergus Sweeney, who also won the Arab race that opened proceedings at the Berkshire track, brought Directorship with a telling challenge to beat My Kingdom by two lengths, with Space Station a neck away third.

Basingstoke-based Chamings said: "I didn't want to step down in trip. It was only because we were forced to. He couldn't handle a course like Goodwood and I didn't want to go up north. He was just 1lb too high to get in those 0-85 races.

"And we wouldn't have run here if it hadn't have rained. The rain came to my rescue. I did want to try him over seven before but there's always been lots of mile races for him. We were forced into it and it's given us an option now. I now know races like the Cambridgeshire are too far for him."

Richard Hannon completed a double begun by Census when Dreamwriter (14-1), rejected by stable jockey Richard Hughes, bolted up by six lengths on her debut under Jimmy Fortune in the Bathwick Tyres EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes Division One.

Hannon said: "She slipped under the radar a bit. She fly jumps a bit when she canters at home, but she's put a lot of ground between them in the last furlong."

In division two, Gray Pearl (2-1 favourite) gave trainer Barry Hills his last winner at his local track before he hands over the reins to his son, Charlie.

Hills jnr said: "That was very nice. Dad's not here, he's gone grouse shooting. She's having a nice blow, so she'll improve on that."

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