Raine's Cross is in the money at Bath

RAINE'S Cross landed a rare gamble for the Chiddingfold stable of Peter Winkworth in the Freebets.co.uk Maiden Auction Stakes at chilly Bath, having been backed down from 14-1 to 9-2 at the track.

Francis Norton hit the front on Avonvalley, trained at Wells by Malcolm Saunders for Bristol businessman Chris Scott, but could not match the finishing speed of the winner under Jim Crowley and trailed in four and a half lengths behind, with Mick Channon's Toga Tiger a close up third.

Raine's Cross is now likely to go straight to Royal Ascot in June, with the Coventry stakes the probable target for the two-year-old colt.

"We will be looking for a filly's race for Avonvalley as she was up against the colts today," said Saunders.

After a best ever total of 136 winners over jumps, Barbury Castle handler Alan King struck on the flat with Aypeeyes in the Lindley Catering Selling Stakes.

Seb Sanders set out to make all the running on Gasat, from the Limpley Stoke yard of Andy Haynes, only to be caught in the last few strikes by Eddie Ahern on the five-year-old.

"He did not take to hurdling and his owner David Wallace does not like the flat," said King, who did not shed any tears after losing Aypeeys to a bid of 8,500 gns from Ebbw Vale permit holder John Price.

The long trip from Newmarket proved rewarding for Sir Michael Stoute's Rosika, a game head winner from Ralph Beckett's Dreamwalk in the one mile two furlong Weatherbys Finance Maiden Stakes.

Ryan Moore sent his filly into the lead, then just held off a sustained challenge from Sanders on Dreamwalk. "She has wintered well and can now step up in distance," said Stoute's travelling head lad Gary Wear.

Ahern completed a 21-1 double after coming late to snatch a one-length victory on Lake Kalamalka, from the Arundel team of John Dunlop, in the Weatherbys Bank Handicap, with Richard Hughes runner-up on Channon's Salybia Bay.

Peter Hiatt's course and distance winner Moonshine Creek scored again under Chris Catlin by one and three-quarter lengths from Hughes on Invention in the M J Church Handicap. The unlucky Malcolm Saunders had to settle for second again when Crimson Fern, partnered by Hughes, was beaten in a photo-finish by Look Busy, ridden by Slade O'Hara in the Listed EBF Lansdown Fillies Stakes.