Simon Hodgson enjoyed his first winner in five months when Villalobos dominated the mile handicap to win by one and a half lengths under Adam Farragher at Kempton Park on Monday afternoon.

The Hampshire trainer had been out of luck since the six-year-old got his head in front at Salisbury in August. Fast forward 159 days and the long drought for a winner was finally over for Hodgson after the gelding made all to win at the odds of 25-1.

Villalobos was also jockey Farragher’s first winner of 2025 following a successful campaign in 2024.

On a day of big outsiders winning at the Sunbury course, trainer Simon Dow brought up a 275-1 double after saddling Apple’s Angel and Arctician to victory in the final two races on the card.

Dow started off the double with his first winner for 81 days on the flat after Apple’s Angel made virtually all to fend off a late challenge of Foro Romano to keep on to win by a neck with Josephine Gordon aboard.

Half an hour later, Dow was celebrating once again after Artician kept on gamely, despite hanging left a furlong out to go on and score with Paddy Bradley in the plate.

The seven-year-old relishes the all-weather surface, having won five times over seven furlongs, three of those victories have been at Kempton.

Trainer Charlie Wallis ended his barren spell for a winner when Brunel Charm struck in the opening division of the 6f handicap, to give Wallis his first winner since August.

Ralph Beckett recorded his first four-year-old winner of the year after Amazonian made a belated winning debut with a head success in the 1m 3f novice.

A 350,000 guineas yearling purchase in 2022, disputed the lead with the 6-4 favourite Almosh’her with a furlong to go with nothing to separate the pair. However, under a perfect ride from the leading all-weather jockey at the moment Hector Crouch, he managed to get the horse’s nose in front to win by a head.

Newmarket trainer Richard Spencer recorded his first winner of the year after Shallow took the honours in the opener.

Having won twice at Chelmsford last year the four-year-old has been disappointing, but looked back to his best, getting the better of Pure Angel by a short head.

Whenever Middleham trainer Charlie Johnson sends a horse down south it always pays to take note. Johnson sent Blue Lace to contest the 1m 2f maiden fillies stakes with the long journey proving worthwhile after the three-year-old broke her maiden tag at the fourth time of asking.

Under David Probert, the horse was always travelling strongly. After leading 2f out he edged left and had to be ridden over 1f out, but kept on to win by one and a quarter lengths.

Court Drive fully appreciated the drop down in grade to score for Hayley Turner in the 6f handicap.

The four-year-old was always in touch with the leaders before making good headway to lead over 1f out before running on well to score by four lengths from Man On A Mission.

Claimer George Bass rode his first winner of 2025 after steering Distant Rumble to a one and a half length victory over Sabrimento in the 6f London Sprint Series Qualifier for Lambourne trainer Roger Teal.

By Peter Moore