Son Of Starspangledbanner Not For Catching At Newbury

Monkey Island (3g Starspangledbanner – Butterfly Kiss, by Medaglia d’Oro) took a step forward on his seasonal return to win Friday’s five furlong novice stakes at Newbury.

Brian Meehan’s charge showed the benefit of his two juvenile starts to make all on Friday and kept on well when challenged approaching the final furlong. He was ridden out by Harry Davies to beat the joint-favourite by three parts of a length, with another two and a quarter lengths back to a previous winner in third.

“Connections said they liked him from day one,” the winning rider late revealed. The son of Starspangledbanner is owned by Manton Thoroughbreds and was bred by Cheveley Park Stud.