Palmer's praise for 'extraordinary' apprentice Davies after Newmarket win

Rajinsky showed guts in abundance to cling on for victory under top-weight in the Turners Cesarewitch Trial Handicap at Newmarket.

Making most over the two and a quarter miles under star apprentice Harry Davies, the Hugo Palmer-trained 9-2 shot - last seen finishing third to Trueshan in the Northumberland Plate in June - was strongly pressed by Prince Imperial, but had enough to get home by a length and a quarter.

A delighted Palmer was full of praise for the winning rider, saying: "To make all over two and a quarter miles as an apprentice on what was probably the first time he has ridden over the two and a quarter miles there was an extraordinary riding feat.

"Obviously you need the horse to be equal to it, but my God he has ridden him well on ground that was probably on the quick side for him.

"I'm delighted with the way the horse has improved all year, though it has been frustrating as he has only been limited to four runs.

"He is a ground dependent horse and has probably got away with it today. I just felt if the ground came right we should have a look at this, and if we do go for the Cesarewitch I felt we needed to have a run beforehand.

"Today was a good race to win. He is a lovely horse and he wears his heart on the sleeve."

He added: "He will pick up a penalty now, we had to take our chance but we might just have cooked our goose.

"We were hoping to come for the Cesarewitch but the ground is due to dry up so we could end up going to France for some of those staying races out there.

"He is not that far away from Listed and Group class and in the staying division the air gets very thin out there.

"I'm just talking off the cuff here, but we could think about having a go at something like the Prix Royal-Oak."

Davies, who was