Apprentice Tommie Jakes continued his fine run of form in the month of August after partnering Gascony to victory in the opening race of the day, the 7f nursery at Epsom Downs Friday meeting.

The 5-2 shot was slowly away and towards the rear of the six runner field, but the 5lb claimer timed his run to perfection entering the home straight and steadily pulled clear of favourite Who Is Alice to go on and score by two and three quarter lengths.

The victory was Jakes’s third in the month of August from only 14 rides, it was his second at Epsom and took his tally of winning rides to 16.

It was also a good day for fellow apprentice Donagh Murphy who rode his first ever winner after steering the three-year-old Play Me to victory in the penultimate race of the afternoon, the 1m handicap.

Placed in handicaps at both Salisbury and Epsom before finishing sixth of seven at Lingfield two weeks ago, the gelding tracked the leaders out wide before making headway over 2f out. Under a good ride from the 7lb claimer, the horse led inside the final furlong before being ridden out and running on nicely to win by a length and a half for local trainer Jim Boyle.

Huggable caused a big shock in the 1m 2f handicap with a striking win for Morgan Cole and Newmarket trainer Dylan Cunha.

The three-year-old finished last of 13 at Doncaster 42 days ago on her handicap debut. The filly was pushed along early and held up in the rear before making steady headway over 2f out. She soon edged left under Cole who switched right and stayed on between horses over a 1f out. The 5lb claimer asked one last effort from the filly who soon started pulling clear of her rivals to win cosily by six lengths at 20-1.

Just Call Me Angel broke her maiden tag at the third attempt by winning the 7f fillies novice stakes for Ed Dunlop with Robert Havlin doing the steering.

The filly tracked the leader before hanging slightly left over 1f out. She was pushed along by Havlin and stayed on well to score by three quarters of a length from the odds on favourite Calendar Girl.

Malton trainer Julie Camacho sent Winged Messenger on the 482 miles round trip to take the 6f handicap.

After being headed inside the final furlong at York three weeks ago, the gelding was looking to go one better.

Under Rossa Ryan, the four-year-old pressed the leader before ridden to lead inside the final furlong to run on well and win by two lengths from Bona Fortuna.

It’s been 11 runs since Silver trumpet’s last win going back to 2024. The gelding finally got his nose in front under Callum Hutchinson who chased the leader over two furlongs out before going clear over a furlong from home to run on strongly to score by one and three quarter lengths for Blewbury trainer Eve Johnson Houghton.

By Peter Moore