PETER Niven enjoyed the biggest success of his training career as Clever Cookie, a horse he owns and was bred by his mother Joan, won the Betway Yorkshire Cup at York yesterday.

Niven rode more than 1,000 winners over jumps but this Group Two triumph gave him more pleasure – although he came close to not running the horse as the ground was not ideal for his pride and joy.

However, Niven declared the going safe and was pleased the course had been watered the night before.

The Malton trainer also had to find another jockey at the 11th hour after Danny Tudhope was injured in a fall on Thursday.

With Ryan Moore at Newbury, PJ McDonald – himself a former jump jockey – was the obvious substitute as he had ridden Clever Cookie to one of his three previous victories on Knavesmire.

After pre-race favourite Flying Officer unshipped Frankie Dettori and got loose before the start, leading to his withdrawal, Luca Cumani's Second Step was the 10-11 market leader and he travelled strongly to the lead down the straight.

Clever Cookie (5-2) was briefly caught in a pocket but once in the clear he galloped on resolutely to prevail by half a length.

Curbyourenthusiasm, who was last for much of the one-mile-six-furlong journey, came home well to beat Second Step to the runner-up spot.

Niven said: "It's absolutely marvellous. I was a bit worried when Flying Officer came out there might be no pace. They've dawdled away and that shouldn't have suited us and the ground shouldn't have suited us.

"To be fair, he's always been able to go on decent ground, I've just been worried about him. They put a drop of water on (the track) and that encouraged me to run.

"He's overcome loads of obstacles and he's shown what he's worth. He's won handicaps and Listed races here but it's lovely to win one of the big ones – the Lonsdale Cup, the Yorkshire Cup, they're the ones you want to win.

"That's why I ran him at Ascot and not Chester, to give him an extra week. He ran well but he's not quite come to himself yet.

"PJ has won on him before and after Nottingham (when he was beaten), I felt we needed a change. Ryan took the ride at Ascot and got on with him great but he was switched to Newbury.

"Then Danny got hurt, so we were only going for PJ then. He's laid back but I ride him out every day and he's hard work for me."

Asked whether the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot would be Clever Cookie's next target, the trainer added: "I know I can't keep going on about the ground but that wasn't dangerous ground, whereas at Ascot, I wouldn't risk him on a road."

Though the ground is an issue at Ascot, Clever Cookie was cut to 14-1 from 20s with Boylesports and Ladbrokes and to 16-1 with Paddy Power.

Niven is looking more to the autumn for Clever Cookie in the hope that the ground will have softened again with races like the Doncaster Cup, Irish St Leger and the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in the pipeline.

Before he dashed off to ride at Hamilton's evening meeting, McDonald said: "It's brilliant. I won on him last year and it was great to get the ride, albeit for poor old Danny.

"I was obviously concerned about the ground but they didn't go very quick and when I switched him out he got a little unbalanced and then once he picked up he felt fine and galloped all the way to the line."

Flying Officer and Dettori were reported to be none the worse for the incident befrore the start.

Clerk of the course William Derby said: "Flying Officer was checked over by our vets and is fine. Frankie said the horse just jinked."

Meanwhile, Jeremy Noseda may have made a quiet start to the season but it could be about to burst into life, given the ease of Nemoralia's win in the Longines Irish Champions Weekend Fillies' Stakes.

Having gone close at the Breeders' Cup, Noseda and his owners could have been tempted to aim the filly at the 1000 Guineas. But with a large Minding-shaped shadow hanging over the Classic all winter, they were wise to skip Newmarket.

Reappearing in a Listed race, she was sent off the 6-5 favourite in the hands of man-of-the-week Dettori and, despite coming up against some unexposed fillies, she looked what she was – a Group One filly in a lower grade – and bigger targets now await.

Nemoralia was six lengths clear of Aljuljalah in second, while Thetis ran with promise in third on her first start since last September.

Noseda said of Nemoralia: "She's been working well and nothing really went right for her in America.

"I felt she could have won the Breeders' Cup but she had a setback two weeks before it and they had a lot of rain.

"I came here expecting to win but obviously you hope they do it in that sort of manner.

"I didn't get drawn to training her for a Guineas – I didn't want any part of Minding – and since the Breeders' Cup, the plan has been to come here and then Royal Ascot (Coronation Stakes).

"I've been thrilled with her at home and I'd hope she'll improve."

Dettori, riding his fifth winner over the three days, said: "She's a nice filly and she loved this top of the ground. She won like a good filly.

"Sometimes you get disappointed when they travel like that but when they pick up like this, it's a joy."

There was another Listed race for the fairer sex on the card but that was far harder for the punters to solve as Richard Fahey's Vona caused a 33-1 surprise under Jack Garritty in the Langleys Solicitors EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes.

Garritty doubled up on 16-1 chance Lil Sophella for Patrick Holmes in the EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Frank Whittle Partnership Stakes.

Royal Ascot is likely to be the destination for Roger Varian's Barsanti (15-8 favourite) after he registered a hat-trick in the Betway Jorvik Stakes.

A winner twice on the all-weather this year, an 11lb rise for the latest of those wins and the switch to turf did not hinder him in the slightest as he beat Oasis Fantasy by two lengths.

Top jumps trainer Alan King does well with his small string for the Flat and got on the scoresheet in the concluding race as Master Blueyes (10-1) was driven out by Dougie Costello to take the 7Im Supports Cystic Fibrosis Care Stakes.