Double gives Probert edge in title race.

Byline: Graham Dench

DAVID PROBERT rode his first double without a claim and went two up on suspended Frederik Tylicki in the race to be champion apprentice with wins on Constant Contact and Siren's Gift.

Probert, who tied for the championship with William Buick in 2008, is going all out to win it outright this time, and the Andrew Balding-trained winners, who combined at odds of just over 70-1, were just what he wanted.

After completing the double on Siren's Gift with a short-head win over Jargelle in a 5f handicap run at a frantic pace, he said: "That's my first double since I lost my claim a couple of weeks ago, and that puts me two ahead of Freddie, who is suspended until Thursday. It's an important time for me, and things are going well."

Constant Contact made all for a decisive win over favourite Cash Queen Anna in the opening two-year-old maiden, to the delight of Balding who said: "He's improving all the time and did that in the style of his sire Passing Glance, who made all here in the Diomed Stakes."

Siren's Gift made just about all too, but despite showing really good pace to grab the rail she never had it easy, as Jargelle was at her all the way, the pair dominating.

Balding said: "She deserved that. It's the easiest task she's had for a while, as she's been running in Listed and Group races. This is her last season, and although she's got small black type, we'll try to get her something better."

Paul Hanagan ended a losing streak at Epsom that stretched back five seasons when Gordon Stakes second Firebet beat Midnight Cruiser by three-quarters of a length in the 1m2f conditions race, which attracted just four runners. The colt was a first winner in a similar period for trainer Richard Fahey.

Hanagan said: "I've had a few winners here, but obviously not for a while. The race went perfectly for me, but I think he'd be much better on a Flat galloping track."

Norman Steel, representing the owner, added: "This was only a stepping stone to the Doonside Cup at Ayr, and if that went well we'd be really keen to go for a Group 2 or a Group 1."

Simon Walker is widely acknowledged to be the best Flat amateur in the business, but his win on the Philip Hobbs-trained co-favourite Hibiki in the so-called amateur riders' Derby (no longer a Fegentri race and sponsored this year by Tompkins & May) was his first in the race, which had not been run at Epsom since 2006 owing to rebuilding.

He said: "I've been second three or four times and it's nice to get one at last. He's a nice horse and travelled well. I looked for a horse to lead me and when I went for him he galloped to the line."

Tom Queally, out of luck on Tranquil Tiger in Firebet's race, nevertheless maintained his good Epsom strike-rate with an all-the-way win on Simon Dow's Theatre Street in the 6f handicap.

The filly has given Mark McAllister a dream start to ownership.

Star performance Firebet gave the Gordon Stakes form a bit of credibility at last, although with Tranquil Tiger out of sorts he perhaps ought to have won more easily Nice one Firebet's connections gave pounds 1,000 of the winnings to the Injured Jockeys' Fund Which hurdler did the job in good style on his first Flat run since 2007, and could be a force in the big autumn handicaps? Analysis starts page 81

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Siren's Gift (left) just gets the better of Jargelle (noseband) in a thrilling finish at Epsom yesterday