JOHN O’SHEA led in his first winner for Darley with the success of Alaska, leading all the way to starve off a strong challenge by Duke of Brunswick to win by a long neck.

The win will be a confidence booster for O’Shea, whilst he has been a successful trainer at Randwick for several years; his new position is much different.

ZOUSTAR has arrived in the United Kingdom; his mission is the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in July.

A win would ensure him a place on the shuttle list to the UK, and after being purchased for $20 million the bill has to be squared up somehow.

If he wins the Golden Jubilee it is almost a certainty he would be invited to stand a season or two in the U K, but they like to see them win on their own soil before a commitment is made.

Zoustar is the best performed son of the ill fated Northern Meteor that is a title that is rightfully his.

RILEY’S DOUBLE

Mark Riley has been among the winners this week scoring with Kuaima at Sandown Park on Wednesday, and Rileme at Seymour yesterday.

There was a lot to like about the Seymour win of Rileme, a four year old gelding by the evergreen Mossman.

That was his first and only start, after leading for most of the trip he then had to combat several challenges in the straight, fighting them off one by one to win by three parts of a length.

Mark Riley has been patient with the gelding, and he is beginning to reap the rewards.

TIME TO STRETCH OUT

With about 10 weeks of the current racing season remaining surely it’s about time the two year old races were stretched out in distance, instead of constantly catering for squibs.

Where is the Gibson Carmichael Stakes normally run in the Autumn over a mile? A number of good horses won the race and came up in the Spring.

SISTINE DEMON

It would take a brave person to completely dismiss Sistine Demon’s chances in the Goodwood Handicap.

He has been racing in superlative form of late, even though he may prefer it a little further, and the wide gate is not a bonus.