Five inexperienced runners lined up for the five furlong Novice Stakes at York on Wednesday and it was the Ed Dunlop-trained Masamah (Exceed And Excel - Bethesda, by Distant Relative), a 60,000 gns DBS yearling purchase for Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, who won, showing a useful level of form in beating Ripon winner Caranbola. The winner hung badly left, crossing virtually the entire width of the track, and is likely to sho improved form in future.

The win gets Darley sire Exceed And Excel off the mark in the Northern Hemisphere, after an excellent set of results from his first crop in Australia, which includes five stakes winners.