Sunshine finally returned to Newmarket on Thursday to herald a first Group-race victory for trainer Tom Dascombe and jockey Richard Kingscote in the TNT July Stakes.

The ambitious Dascombe has made giant strides during his three seasons with a license and only entered Classic Blade when he discovered the potentially small turnout for the six-furlong juvenile event.

Kingscote adopted the same aggressive front-running tactics when the pair won a conditions event at Salisbury 11 days previously and although Sayif joined him inside the final furlong, the Daggers Drawn colt did not shirk the challenge to get the verdict by a short head.

"I was in America over the weekend saddling Zaskar in the American Oaks but I managed to get myself to a computer to look at the confirmation stage," said Lambourn-based Dascombe.

"I saw there were only nine in it, so we thought we'd have a go.

"What a tough horse he is - he really stuck his head out. I had a Listed winner last year and this year we wanted to win a Group race. We'll have to win two now!

"The plan from now has already been decided as he was bought in the sales in Ireland and we are going for a 300,000 Euro race at the Curragh on August 23.

"I have to thank the staff so much and I'm thrilled for Richard too. I've stuck with him, the owners have too, and he has stuck with me."

Kingscote added: "I think he got headed but he's game as anything.

"He's very stocky and has got a lot of muscle but has been the biggest surprise of the two-year-olds because he didn't show much as a baby."

Sayif's trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam cut a forlorn figure, while jockey Alan Munro felt he "should have won" but the colt ran off a straight line.

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing blamed the soft ground for 2-1 favourite Prolific finishing third. Connections will look towards the Gimcrack Stakes.

Andrew Balding enjoyed a profitable 203-1 double, started by Donegal putting himself in the shop window after the Bahrain Trophy.

The Listed contest is considered an early trial for the Ladbrokes St Leger but the Doncaster Classic is not likely to be on the agenda for the 16-1 winner.

It developed into a four-way blanket finish, with William Buick driving Donegal home a neck and the same ahead of Gravitation and even-money favourite Bouguereau.

"Although his record overall looks disappointing he's only had soft ground twice and both times he has won," said Balding.

"He's a gelding and I expect I will get offers for him to go jumping so I don't know where he will go."

Bouguereau's owner Andrew Black offered no excuses, reporting: "He doesn't have a turn of foot but it's very disappointing."

Balding turned to his other budding young jockey David Probert for Jedediah (11-1), who charged away with the £100,000 Ladbrokes.com Heritage Handicap.

Generous Thought (4-1) was given the reward he deserved from some top efforts this season as Robert Winston extricated the colt from trouble in the Six Whiting Street Conditions Stakes.

"At last," gasped trainer Paul Howling. "It's been a struggle this year. He was beaten a short head first time out and if we had won we might have gone a different path.

"This seemed like the day. We might look at a Listed race at Goodwood next."

Ouqba (7-4 favourite) maintained Barry Hills' fine recent record in the EBF Novice Stakes and will head for the valuable Doncaster Sales event at York.

The concluding five-furlong Highland Meridian Gardens Handicap went to the Richard Price-trained Kay Two at 9-1.

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