DUTCH Law took another step up the ladder for East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison by swooping late to land the valuable Albert Bartlett Handicap at Ascot.

The improving four-year-old added to a brace of wins at Newmarket this term by powering down the outside in the seven-furlong handicap under apprentice Charlie Bennett to capture the £49,800 first prize by half a length from Firmament for owner Raymond Tooth.

Morrison said: “He is one of Raymond’s home-breds that had niggling problems that meant we had to look after him. He’s had nine races this season, and improved with every outing.”

The 12-1 shot was Morrison’s third winner of the week after Sunscape held on to take a mile and a quarter fillies’ handicap at Bath by a head in the hands of Fran Berry, and Fern Owl claimed a two-mile handicap at Kempton with Liam Keniry on board.

Wantage trainer Henry Candy was left to rue his luck with the ground at Haydock as persistent rain led him to withdraw hot favourite Limato from the 32Red Sprint Cup.

The four-year-old gelding prefers quick conditions, and the Kingston Warren handler hoped he had made the right call when declaring his charge on Thursday, at the same time as taking last year’s winner, Twilight Son, out of the race.

But with the deluge turning the going soft, Candy said: “He’s been unlucky all his career with the ground.

“We’ll see what happens (with the ground) at Chantilly for the Foret, but there is no pressure to run him again this year.”

While conditions turned against Limato, they proved perfect for Motdaw, from Mick Channon’s West Ilsley stables.

The three-year-old relished the easy surface to give French jockey Alexis Badel a winner on his first ride in Great Britain with a game half-length success in the opening fillies’ handicap over an extended mile and a quarter.

Sent off at 12-1, the three-year-old made it three winners in the week for Channon with Knight Of The Air taking a seven-furlong handicap at Chepstow under Oisin Murphy, while Masterson followed up his Lingfield win by storming home in an extended two-mile handicap at Newcastle with Tony Hamilton on board.