DARK LION, who was last seen finishing fourth in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, was well supported to break his maiden in a 7f novice at Wolverhampton on Thursday evening and, although he only won by a head from the newcomer Knight Salute, he had put the race to bed with a smart turn of foot on the home bend. 

Friday brought two winners with Zezenia and Charming Spirit also posting their first wins at Haydock and Wolverhampton respectively. ZEZENIA had made a good impression on two career starts; finishing second to Jovial at Newcastle last season and third in a fillies maiden at Newmarket three weeks ago. She was taking on the opposite sex and encountering soft ground for the first time and, even though she was one of the first off the bridle, she found plenty for pressure under Andrea Atzeni to record a half length victory over the consistent Sermon.

CHARMING SPIRIT was a six raced maiden, but everything fell into place for her at Wolverhampton on Friday evening where Jack Mitchell partnered her to success in a 6f Class 5 fillies' handicap. Her dam, Willow View, is an unraced half-sister to Cursory Glance who Roger trained to win the G3 Albany Stakes and the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. Hopefully there is more to come from this daughter of Invincible Spirit who was winning off a mark of 71.