Dream Castle impressed in victory at Doncaster

It may only have been the very first weekend of turf action on the Flat this season, but the signs are already looking more positive for Godolphin than has been the case at this stage of the British season in recent years.

Well-backed Godolphin favourites took both divisions of the maiden at Doncaster in the style of horses with bright futures.

Benbatl put up an impressive display on his debut in division one of the Purple Vouchers Maiden Stakes.

The son of Dubawi moved sweetly for Josephine Gordon before putting the race to bed in a matter of strides.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt, who holds an engagement in the Derby, galloped seven lengths clear of Made Of Honour in second with Jewel House a length and a half away in third.

Gordon said of the 15/8 favourite: "He's a very nice horse. He's obviously still very green, but he's done that easily and I think he could do with a bit more juice in the ground.

"He's only going to improve. He had plenty in hand and did it well."

However, it was Dream Castle, a son of Frankel, who earned an unexpected but not undeserved 20/1 quote for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas from Sky Bet after he took the second division under Oisin Murphy.

The 8/13 shot ran quite free in the early stages but put in some exciting work in the closing stages as he went on to score by three and a half lengths from To Dibba. Lamloom was a length and a half away in third place.

Asked whether he could be considered a legitimate Classic contender, Murphy was somewhat surprisingly positive about the notion.

"He has to be quite decent," said the rider. "What does it take to be a Guineas horse? How many run in the Guineas, 20-odd? Would there be 20 of him in the country?" he said.

Of the race, Murphy said: "There's a bit of Frankel in him in his character. I think the trainer and the team have done a good job in settling the horse down and preparing him for the day.

"I let him pull up in his own time as there was no rush. It might stand him in good stead for the future. Today was only a learning curve, but the race went perfectly. It was a good experience."

Bin Battuta (4/1), who holds entries in the Guineas and Derby, completed the Godolphin/Bin Suroor trio in the Yorkshire Wildlife Park Handicap.

The half-brother to July Cup winner Dream Ahead held off Charlie Appleby's Godolphin representative First Nation by a neck.

Winning rider Jim Crowley said: "They went a nice gallop and I was a bit further back than I wanted to be, but they went a bit quick and that was perfect for me. He stayed the trip really well.

"He's a really nice horse and hopefully he can go on to better things."

Apprentice Rowan Scott, 21, rode his fist winner for Keith Dalgleish since joining the Carluke trainer a month ago when steering home Zoravan in opening the Get Doncaster Moving Handicap.

Zoravan (28/1) enjoyed being allowed to bowl along towards the head of affairs virtually from the start and kept up the gallop over the straight seven furlongs.

Though it was his first run on turf after seven starts on all-weather surfaces, the four-year-old was certainly not inconvenienced as he won by a length and quarter from Invermere, with Timeless Art third and Ballymore Castle fourth.

Dalgleish said: "The plan was to give him a bit of a lead, but Rowan said he didn't want to disappoint him and he seemed to enjoy the grass. Rowan's only been with us for a month, so it's a nice start for him.

"There is a seven-furlong handicap at Musselburgh in a couple of weeks which we might enter him in."

Wentworth Falls sprang a 33/1 surprise in the hands of weighing-room veteran Franny Norton for trainer Geoff Harker In the Rosina May Godfrey Memorial Handicap.

Harker paid Godolphin just £5,500 for the son of Dansili in August 2016 and the horse has now won two of his four starts for the Thirsk handler.

Wentworth Falls was a worthy winner of the six-furlong cavalry charge as he passed the post half a length to the good over Muntadab, with another nose back to Ninjago in third and Naggers just half a length away in fourth.

Harker said: "We fancied him today. He's a proper little horse. He does everything at home so easy. I'm only a small trainer and I've got nothing at home that can go with him. He's awesome.

"When he won at Nottingham it gave him his confidence back.

"I've got something in mind for him, but I'm keeping it to myself for the time being."

Murphy completed a double on Chemical Charge (15/8 favourite), who ended a run of five seconds in the Adwick Kingpin Conditions Stakes.

Ralph Beckett's five-year-old picked up the pieces a furlong out after St Leger fourth Muntahaa and Godolphin's Frontiersman had battled it out down the straight.

It was left to Chemical Charge to surge clear and score by two lengths from Saigon City.

Kevin Darley, representing owners Qatar Racing, said: "He was a little frustrating last year in Ireland but Ger Lyons said there'd be more opportunities over in England so he advised us to bring him back and he was right. He likes a long, galloping track.

"We jut wanted to find a little race for him to get his confidence, which hopefully has happened today. He's done everything right and we'll see where the boss wants to send him next."

Paddy Aspell guided a back-to-form Archippos (20/1) to victory by three-quarters of a length in the Choose Fitness Handicap for trainer Philip Kirby.

"We thought he was a nice horse when he won his maiden. He was a little bit disappointing two runs after that but he was only a baby and he was chucked in at the deep end," said Kirby.

"I thought he'd run well but I didn't think he was particularly well handicapped."

Brian Ellison enjoyed success with Royal Flag (4/1 favourite) to take the Counting House Bessacarr Amateur Riders' Handicap as he looks forward to saddling Definitly Red in Saturday's Randox Health Grand National.

The seven-year-old, ridden by Jonjo O'Neill junior, wore down Nafaath to score by a length and a quarter.

Ellison said: "I think you have to come here early part of the season having run on the all-weather and he came here in great form."