NAADIRR was rewarded for a string of decent efforts this season when winning the Betfred Garrowby Stakes on The Press Family Raceday at York.

Marco Botti’s colt had risen 26lb in the ratings despite suffering five defeats this summer, running close to Music Master in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury and then Tropics in a Newmarket Listed race.

Sent off the 2-1 favourite, Naadirr raced widest of the seven runners through the six furlongs under Martin Harley and his biggest challenge came from Ladies Are Forever along the stands rail, with the popular local mare finishing a length behind by the line.

The winner is entered in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot while the stewards looked into some interference and gave Harley a two-day ban for causing some problems to fourth-placed Artistic Jewel.

William Muir was pleasantly surprised to see Caffeine (8-1) take the Hanson Springs Handicap on what was only his second start, looking a hot prospect when zipping through the field under Martin Dwyer and scoring by a length and a quarter.

“We came up to York thinking we’ve got a nice horse, but he’s had only one start and he was running against some rivals who had been there and done that,” said Muir.

“I know another horse of mine, So Noble, is decent and he was fourth to him in a maiden at Warwick, but we weren’t sure how good the others were, so to see him do that is very pleasing.

“He’ll get further than six furlongs, so we’ll have to see how the handicapper reacts, so we know whether to go for another handicap or do something else.”

Ed Walker’s Invincible Gold (15-2) built upon a recent Kempton maiden victory by short-heading the Richard Fahey-trained Spring Offensive in the Judith Marshall Memorial Nursery under George Baker.

“He travelled up there well, I thought he was going to win a length, but he got a bit lonely in front,” Baker said. “It’s a step in the right direction off a mark of 84.”

Fahey swiftly went one place better at a favourite haunt when his old ally Paul Hanagan got Cosmic Halo (5-1) motoring in the Barkers Garage Handicap.

That familiar combination went on to strike again in the Minster Alarms Irish Champions Weekend EBF Maiden Stakes, as Bamboccianti (4-1) took a considerable leap forward from his Nottingham debut.

The win was all the more meritorious given he dumped Hanagan on the way to the start and ran loose for two furlongs.

Entihaa (5-1) was a clear-cut winner of the Castles UK Educational And Residential Furniture Handicap for Alan Swinbank and Robert Winston.

The Coopers Marquees Apprentice Handicap saw Oisin Murphy and 9-4 favourite Zeus Magic get up in the shadow of the post.