Johnny Murtagh, enjoying his best season in the saddle, was out of luck at Kempton yesterday on his first visit to the course.

He was booked by Sir Michael Stoute to ride four horses but could do no better than a second place on 2 to 5 favourite King's Secret in the EBF Maiden. The pair went down by half a length on rain-softened ground to the Mick Channon-trained Worthily, who was showing improved form to score at 14 to 1.

But Murtagh was still pleased with the performance of the runner-up. "My horse did everything right and this might have been quite a good maiden," he said.

"He might appreciate a bit better ground too."

Murtagh will be in action at Listowel today. "Mr Stoute rang and asked me to come over and I would only have one ride at Listowel today but I'll be back there tomorrow," he added.

"It's been an incredible year for me. Things were slow to get going but it just keeps getting better."

Zilarator relished the soft conditions to land the EBF Classified `90' Stakes. And trainer William Haggas was thinking afterwards that the cosy six-length success of the gelding will have attracted some potential purchasers when he goes to the sales.

"I'm very pleased with him," Haggas said. "He loves this ground and we've deliberately kept him for an autumn campaign and this was the start of it!

"He'll make a handy jumper and anybody who's got a few quid wants to have a look at him when he goes to the sales."

Haggas also had news of Flying Childers winner Superstar Leo.

He said: "She goes for the Prix de l'Abbaye.

"It is no longer certain that she will race in the States next year. The owners are deciding where she will be best placed."

Michael Fenton was seen at his best aboard Sweet Reward, who scored for the first time in three years when winning the Norman Hill Memorial Handicap at 10 to 1.

The five-year-old has been largely frustrating since but Julian Smyth-Osborne leapt to the defence of his charge.

"He never really lets us down although I suspect some punters feel he has let them down," he said.

"He just had things in his favour here and he'd dropped to fair mark."