Batey finds another one to score success with.

Byline: By Doug Moscrop

Former Sunderland FC director Barry Batey, whose colours became well known through his 1993 Northumberland Plate winner Highflying, has found another winner to carry his red and white stripes.

While Most Definitely has some way to go to match the exploits of his Plate hero, he is certainly going the right way and recorded his third win of the campaign in the Ripon Bell Ringer Handicap on Saturday.

Once a frustrating type, the five-year-old was not inconvenienced by dropping back in trip and, coming from well off the pace, he quickened to lead inside the final furlong and was well on top at the finish.

Most Definitely was continuing the good run of trainer Tim Easterby.

He said: "Although he stays a mile and six, I thought it was worth trying him at a mile and a half. He needs fast ground and it was too soft for him at York last week."

The race though didn't take a lot of winning as well-backed favourite Dubai Venture ran a shocker. He took a keen hold on the outside after missing the kick and was being pushed along half a mile out. A furlong later, he was beaten and Robert Winston eased him in the final two furlongs.

Namat, bidding for a four-timer, disappointed as well. She dwelt at the start and the distress signals were out over two furlongs out.

Jim Ennis has been around for a long time as an owner and he has had some useful jumpers running in his name. At the moment the young hurdler Faasel is top of the pile.

But he had a rare Flat success when Dancing Edge headed Spitzensparkes in the last 100 yards of the Alexandre Saville Row Selling Stakes in which the first four were separated by necks.

Charlie Hather, a stablemate of the winner, was second and was bred by trainer Nigel Tinkler's wife Kim who rode Dancing Edge.

Tinkler said: "Jim was one of my original owners and he's had horses with me on and off for the past 25 years. This horse has taken a while to come to himself and he'll stay a bit further."

Clipperdown repeated his course and distance last month when defying top weight in the LHK Healthplans Handicap. Despite edging left under pressure in the final furlong, he was driven out by Tony Culhane to get the better of Silverhay by a head.

A first-time visor replacing blinkers worked for Daybreak Dancer who showed improvement when turning the John Thorpe MBE 60th Birthday Maiden Handicap into a procession.

John Dunlop has a good record with his Ripon raiders and Qusoor added to his list with an all-the-way success in the EBF Dobsons Gaskets Maiden Fillies' Stakes in which odds-on Deserving was chasing the leader and could make no impression.