SO often the bridesmaid at York, Secret Gesture finally had her day to remember on Knavesmire as she ran away with the Betfred Middleton Stakes.

Ralph Beckett’s five-year-old had been to the Minster city on three previous occasions and finished in the podium places – without winning – each time.

Beaten by a neck into second in this £110,000 mile-and-a-quarter contest 12 months ago, jockey Andrea Atzeni shot the daughter of Galileo out into the lead from the very start as she sought to go one better.

Four lengths up early on, Secret Gesture (7-2) had Talmada and her rivals hard at work early in the straight and kept on to win by a length-and-a-half after leading from start to finish.

“We either kept running into one or into a couple but she has been extremely consistent,” said trainer Beckett. “I don’t think going to the bend he (Atzeni) could quite believe how far clear he was. He had a look between his legs to see where the rest of them were.

“We know she likes it here. I only really decided to run her after her work on Saturday. She came back and had a really good holiday and was quite big.

“It was just in the last couple of days I was sure I was going to run. It’s great. We have been frustrated a couple of times, most notably here against Sheikhzayedroad last year. It was just deserts, I felt.”

Beckett indicated the Pretty Polly Stakes, at the Curragh, would be next for Secret Gesture.

Pocklington owner Reg Bond could be Royal Ascot bound after Alfred Hutchinson (20-1) claimed Listed honours with a neck victory in the Betfred TV Hambleton Stakes.

The seven-year-old, ridden to Knavesmire glory by Barry McHugh, has been known as an all-weather specialist but he had won a handicap at York three years ago and battled hard to repel You’re Fired.

His Malton-based trainer Geoff Oldroyd said: “It’s a great result and everything dropped right. He had a good draw, it was the perfect ground for him – he loves it either good or quicker.

“We put cheekpieces on because when he gets to the front he dosses but he went on a nice run and battled.

“It is great to win for Reg and great to win for everyone. It also means that he now gets a bit of Black Type. You would think about going to Ascot and you would have to give him a shout – providing the ground stays quick.”

Pattern races beckon for Out Do (6-1) after David O’Meara’s “experiment” paid off in the opening Betfred “Supports Jack Berry House” Handicap.

The six-year-old defied joint top-weight to beat Red Baron by a neck to pick up his first victory over the minimum distance.

All five of his previous wins had been over a furlong longer and he had been entered in the Infinity Tyres Stakes over that distance on Wednesday before being withdrawn on ground issues.

That race, coincidentally, was won by Out Do’s Nawton-based stablemate Algar Lad and, although the going did not change overnight, O’Meara said: “It was a bit of experiment. We had him declared for both races because it looked like there was rain coming in which would have softened up the ground.

“We did want to try him at five but not on soft, or softer, ground. When that band of weather changed and the forecast was predominantly dry, I rang Evan (Sutherland, owner) and said we might be better having a proper crack at the five furlong and seeing if he was quick enough.

“I am glad it paid off.”

Out Do’s York success will now pitch him into Listed and Group company with the son of Exceed and Excel likely to find handicaps tougher under yet another penalty.

O’Meara conceded: “He will be forced into it. He won today off 104. We will have to look at a Listed race somewhere. This opens up the door to the five furlong races which is good.

“It was a good performance. He seems to have improved again this year so it is great.”