CHILTON-BASED jockey Robert Winston has high hopes that Withhold is on track to fulfil his connections’ Melbourne Cup dreams after steering the gelding to victory in the Stobart Rail & Civils Northumberland Plate Handicap at Newcastle.

Trainer Roger Charlton revealed after the five-year-old’s triumph in the prestigious extended two-mile handicap on Gosforth Park’s artificial surface that the big target was to capture Australia’s famous stayers’ race in November.

Asked about stepping up in grade following Saturday’s success, Winston said: “It was a very steadily run race. It was on Tapeta. You can’t really look into it too much, but you would like to think he would end up that way.”

The Irish-born rider was able to dictate the pace from the front on the 5-1 favourite, owned by Brighton & Hove Albion FC chairman Tony Bloom, before quickening clear two furlongs from home to claim the £92,385 first prize by two and three-quarter lengths from Prince Of Arran.

Winston added: “I wanted to be positive, but they handed it to me, absolutely handed it to me. I kicked at the right time and he just kept galloping.”

Blewbury trainer Eve Johnson Houghton, who is considering a crack at the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville next month with her Royal Ascot hero Accidental Agent, landed a 16-1 across-the-card double with Oberyn Martell (10-11 fav) at Salisbury and Vixen (8-1) at Kempton.

Oberyn Martell, named after a character in the TV series Game of Thrones, made all the running in the hands of Charlie Bishop to follow up his Sandown success with a two-and-a-quarter-lengths verdict in a six-furlong auction stakes.

And Vixen stayed on well under Eddy Greatrex to take a seven-furlong fillies’ handicap by a length and a quarter at the Sunbury venue.

West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon provided Irish apprentice jockey Scott McCullagh with his first victory in this country when Iconic Belle scored at Nottingham.

McCullagh, who rode one winner in his homeland last year, produced the four-year-old filly in the last 75 yards of a mile and a quarter apprentice handicap to beat Ravenhoe by three-quarters of a length.

Channon also enjoyed success with Hats Off To Larry at Windsor, ridden by Bishop, and The Night Porter, who followed up his Beverley maiden win with a clear-cut victory at Lingfield.

Wantage trainer Henry Candy sent out Mt Augustus to romp home by six lengths under Fran Berry in a Newmarket handicap, while Kingston Lisle handler Heather Main struck with the Philip Makin-ridden Island Sound at Newcastle.