Racing: Ketan wins but gains bad mark for Ascot

Royal Scot plans are on hold for Ketan after he had proved a handful at the stalls before making it two wins in a row under Kevin Darley in the Crow's Nest Restaurant Novice Median Auction Stakes at Redcar yesterday.

The Mark Johnston-trained colt unshipped Darley twice, and had to be blindfolded before being loaded. In the race itself he hung left when asked to make progress, but he still comfortably got the better of Inter Vision by half a length.

Johnston's wife Deirdre said in the winner's enclosure: "I think Royal Ascot has been discussed by Joe Mercer and the owner [Abdulla Buhaleeba], but I think we will have to have a wee think about his antics today.

"He was good as gold first time out [at Thirsk], we had schooled him and he was perfect, but for whatever reason I do not know, he has got excited for this second run and we can't account for that – it is most unlike him."