Glory Days introduced himself as a smart early-season two-year-old when winning at Kempton today.
Trainer Richard Hannon has a high opinion of the son of Lahib whom he purchased at the Deauville Sales in France last year for the equivalent of #20,000.
It looked money well spent as Glory Days, ridden by Richard Hughes put up a smooth performance in the Bonusfilm EBF Maiden Stakes.
The start of the five-furlong contest was delayed by 10 minutes while jockey Martin Dwyer was attended to by first-aid staff. Dwyer, who had been thrown by his mount Texas Gold on the way to post, was taken to the local Ashford Hospital for precautionary checks.
Glory Days overcame a bump leaving the stalls and was in front after two furlongs. Hughes needed to do little more than shake him up in the final furlong to beat Silca Legend by three-quarters of a length, with the rest five lengths and more behind.
Hannon said: 'This is a nice horse. I think one day he'll be a very nice horse. I don't think the second is too bad either and we've beat him pretty comfortably and the two of us have pulled well clear.
'I've got some nice two-year-olds and I think this one is pretty good. Richard said he's one of the nicest natured horses he's ever ridden.'
Royal Ascot would seem an obvious target and Hannon said: 'He'll have to have another run before he goes there but he is pretty good.'
Glory Days ran in the colours of Alan Merritt, who owns Cape Town, who will be ridden by Hughes when forming a third of Hannon's strike force in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas on Saturday.
Hannon is still searching for a jockey for Mana-Mou Bay, with John Carroll and Ray Cochrane just two names suggested from a long list.
The trainer said: 'There's only 34 left in it, and there's plenty of jockeys about. It just depends who the owner wants to use. Mano-Mou Bay is an easy enough ride. He's straightforward.'
David Elsworth, still searching for a partner in the Guineas for Scarteen Fox, gave Neil Pollard who rides Alfini in the Classic, the leg-up on May Contessa, who supplemented her recent Newmarket win with victory in the Bonusphoto EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes.
Elsworth, who had hoped to secure Richard Quinn until Henry Cecil's stable jockey was called up for Western Summer, is hopeful that a top-grade rider will become available.
He said: 'What I'm looking for is someone who is experienced at this level.'
Richard Mullen landed a 16-1 plus double in the first two races on Bonaguil and Blue Style.
Mullen took no chances on Blue Style, who had looked unlucky when short of room at Epsom last week, yielding the outside to no-one in the Tripleprint Handicap.
The tactic paid off with Blue Style, who led two furlongs out before holding Forest Fire by a length.
'That just shows you how unlucky he was at Epsom,' said trainer Philip Mitchell.
Bonaguil recorded a hat-trick when beating Malleus by a neck in the Bonusprint Handicap.
Trainer Chris Wall now plans to step the three-year-old up to a mile and a quarter.
Espada, beaten a neck by Pulau Tioman in the Rosebery Stakes at Kempton on Easter Monday, exacted his revenge in the Doubleprint Stakes.
Espada, 6-1 favourite, landed the 329,000 first prize by a length from last week's winner.
Jockey Seb Sanders said: 'Last week I thought he was a bit unlucky, as he hit a bit of false ground about 100 yards from the line and it just knocked the wind out of him when he was coming to challenge. So he's got his due desserts today.'
Tony Beech, the rider of unplaced Wealthy Star, was banned for one day (May 10) after the stewards found him guilty of careless riding. -PA,
