Flaming Spear showed a good turn of foot under Robert Winston to win the mile £45,000 Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Hyde Stakes, an All-Weather Championships Fast-Track Qualifier, on Polytrack at Kempton Park.
The six-year-old, now successful three times from four All-Weather starts, gained a free and guaranteed start in the £150,000 Sun Racing All-Weather Mile Championship at Lingfield Park on the £1-million All-Weather Championships Finals Day, Good Friday, April 19, 2019.
Trainer Dean Ivory was thrilled for Flaming Spear, who is owned by Tony Bloom and started the 3/1 favourite in the 11-strong field.
Ivory said: "I am delighted - we have overcome issues Flaming Spear had with the stalls and he is a lovely and relaxed horse.
"He had a good draw tonight (two), was quite handy from the start and won going away.
"It has been the plan for a while to go for the mile final on All-Weather Championships Finals Day, which is quite a long time away.
"We can now count back from Good Friday and be more laid-back in planning his races."
Flaming Spear raced in fourth on the outside, a bit keenly initially, as Pactolus (Stuart Williams/Fran Berry, 25/1) took them along.
Winston asked Flaming Spear to move forward after turning into the straight and the son of Lope De Vega came through strongly to hit the from over a furlong out.
Flaming Spear ran on well to beat Hathal (Jamie Osborne/Nicola Currie, 10/1) by three quarters of a length, with outsider Pattie (Mick Channon/Gerald Mosse, 33/1) finishing strongly to take third, a further length and a quarter back.
The 2017/18 All-Weather Horse Of The Year, Victory Bond (William Haggas/James Doyle, 4/1), victorious in the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic over 10 furlongs at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 30, had his first start since May and kept on in fourth.
The winning time of 1m 37.17s was the fastest on the night comparatively.
Super tough stayer Watersmeet (Mark Johnston/Joe Fanning, 11/4 favourite) gained his 14th victory - 12 on All-Weather surfaces - when beating Higher Power (James Fanshawe/George Wood, 5/1) by a length in the £25,000 32Red Handicap over two miles.
George Wood gained compensation on 16/1 top-weight Exceeding Power, trained by Martin Bosley, in the last race, the 12-furlong £11.200 32Red.com Handicap, when just holding 6/5 favourite Landue (Marcus Tregoning/James Doyle) by a short-head.
