Promising Ace Stud-owned sprinter Double Rush (5/1) appears destined for Group races after defying a rating of 105 in the Wokingham Stakes.

Switched from Charlie Hills to Andrew Balding over the winter, the four-year-old arrived 15lb higher in the handicap following a pair of dominant Newmarket victories this season.

Partnered by Shane Foley, Double Rush made smooth headway down the centre to lead passing the furlong pole and had to be tough to see off the closing Completely Random (12/1) by a head. The James Owen-trained duo of Soldier’s Tree (11/1) and Far Above Dream (28/1) were third and fourth, with Mitbaahy (50/1) fifth.

Balding said: “Double Rush is a high-class horse who deserves to move out of handicaps now. I am thrilled. In fairness, Charlie Hills was the first to congratulate me and he was devastated when the horse came to us because he really rated him. He was right and has obviously been a big part of his development, so I am grateful to him. He is extremely sporting.

“Shane gave him a peach of a ride. He is an exciting horse. He has got the class to travel and it is not easy to win these big handicaps with high weights. We ended up in the middle, which seemed a little unusual today, but I like to think wherever he was drawn, he would have taken a lot of beating.

“I think Royal Ascot is important, whatever race you run in, but we felt that if he was not going to win the Wokingham, he was not going to win a Group One. We know he likes Newmarket, so there is every chance he will go to the July Cup.”

Foley said: “Double Rush is so straightforward – you can make the pace on him or follow with him. I actually think he will be better in better races when there is something to lead him and a stronger pace, because we did not go overly fast for a competitive handicap today and he cruised into it. He had a good look around when he hit the front, but thankfully the line came in time.

“My lad made the running at Newmarket, but this is a different type of track and I did not want to be facing a headwind either. I was keen to get cover for as long as I could, but we ended up in a good spot, although I would have liked a lead for a bit longer. When they go forward like that, it is hard to keep sitting. I had a willing partner.

“Even as a two-year-old, we always said he was a very good horse. His form tapered off a bit, but he has been in tip-top shape. I think he likes being fresh. We ran him back quite quickly at Newmarket and he was probably not quite as effective and did not feel as good. He has had a good freshen up since then, but Kingsclere know what to do and will give him his time.

“I am looking forward to stepping up into Group company. He is an exciting horse and he is going to improve and improve again. With sprinters, when they start getting better like that, who knows where they can stop?”

Harry Charlton said of Completely Random: “He ran huge. Ryan felt the winner went left across him and he had to duck inside, and that just cost him, but he has run a massive race, coming from last to first. I am delighted. He likes a pace and he likes to be dropped in. It was probably his best run.”

James Owen said of the third and fourth: “I thought they both had great chances and they have run bloody well. Soldier’s Tree has a massive future going up in grade into Pattern company. He is very lightly raced for his age, and the form of his Salisbury race was backed up when Almeraq won the Jubilee. We were in two minds about running him in the Jubilee, but it was worth a shot at this and we will probably try to keep him to smaller fields now. Silvestre thought a bit of juice in the ground would have helped too, but he is a proper good animal. Far Above Dream is a proper Goodwood horse and he will have a great chance in the Stewards’ Cup. They have just consolidated our week. We have had a great week. They have all run well and we are now looking forward to next year.”

5.00pm Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap)

1 Double Rush (Ace Stud) Andrew Balding 4-9-09 Shane Foley 5/1

2 Completely Random (Paul Inglett & Beckhampton) Harry Charlton 5-9-02 Ryan Moore 12/1

3 Soldier’s Tree (Roxholme Racing) James Owen 5-9-11 Silvestre de Sousa 11/1

4 Far Above Dream (Gordon McDowall) James Owen 4-9-03 Kieran Shoemark 28/1

5 Mitbaahy (Fitri Hay) Charles Hills 7-9-08 Billy Loughnane 50/1

27 ran              4/1 fav Binhareer (6th)

Andrew Balding – 18th Royal Ascot winner

Shane Foley – 2nd Royal Ascot winner