Post-haste House results in price collapse

In keeping with his flashy appearance, Crowded House produced a lightning performance to win the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Electric acceleration and a zigzag track preceded a wide-margin victory, and thepowerful white-faced, white-legged chestnut two-year-old immediately thundered towards the top of the betting lists for next year's Classics.

Two furlongs out in the mile contest, the last Group One race of the domestic season, Crowded House was behind a wall of horses, and going easier than any. Jockey Jamie Spencer first feinted left in search of an opening; finding none, he steered right, to the outside of the pack.

As soon as he had daylight in front, he asked Crowded House to quicken, shaking the reins and applying a right-hand smack with his whip. The response was instant and spectacular, but also alarming in that the colt veered diagonally left. His wayward progress was halted when he collidedwith his own Brian Meehan stablemate Skanky Biscuit, who in turn bumped the 2-1 favourite, Jukebox Jury. But once straightened, Crowded House drew away with giant, fluid strides.

"He was very fresh going to post, and very fresh in the race," said Spencer. "When I got in the clear, he just flew. I gave him a tap with the whip but I didn't show it to him first, and I think that's why he went left, he was surprised and it was just inexperience. But he's a smasher."

With a certain amount of justice Jukebox Jury, who took the Royal Lodge Stakes last month, won his battle with Skanky Biscuit by a neck, but would not have caught the 7-1 winner – a long-looking three-and-a-half lengths ahead – under any circumstances.

Crowded House, whose sire, the great Rainbow Quest, died last year, came to the fray off an upwardly mobile profile, having narrowly lost the valuable seven-furlong Tattersalls Million at Newmarket last month, and, as befits his breeding, thoroughly appreciated the return to a mile. "We had to give it a go for the money last time," said Meehan, "but it was too short for him. Everything about him is good. He's very classy indeed, a serious horse."

In the past seven years, three winners of the Racing Post Trophy – High Chaparral, Motivator and Authorized – have gone on to take the Derby. Crowded House, who carries the colours of American Paul Reddam, is now a general 14-1 chance for Epsom glory next June.

Crowded House is also jostling the leading fancies in the 2,000 Guineas lists, now a 12-1 shot having been twice that price yesterday morning. The market was rippled to a lesser degree by the success of Sir Michael Stoute's charge Evasive in the day's otherjuvenile contest of note, the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury.

The inexperienced son of Elusive Quality surged to the front two furlongs out before idling under Christophe Soumillon, allowingBonnie Charlie to close to half a length.