Former jockey Paul D'Arcy watched with mixed emotions as Tankersley raced to a game success under Michael Roberts in the Tote Stakes at Nottingham yesterday.

With Roberts deputising for Pat Eddery, who was injured in a fall in Vienna on Sunday, Tankersley led inside the last quarter mile and stayed on to beat the favourite Iron Mountain by a length.

D'Arcy took out a trainer's licence at the end of April last year and after congratulating Roberts he said: "This one is dedicated to my father, Cyril, who died two weeks ago.

Alec Stewart celebrated his 44th birthday in style when Alhasad, his only runner of the day, gained a decisive success under Richard Hills in the Nottingham Evening Post Maiden Stakes.

There was almost as much excitement after as there was during the Harland Simon Claiming Stakes which the Frankie Dettori-ridden Secret Style won by four lengths.

Dettori completed a double on the Roger Charlton-trained Flamenco Red in the European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes but he then gave up his rides at Yarmouth last night and Lingfield today because of a worsening sore throat.