DENIS Coakley’s summary was simple as it was succinct: “With sprints you can run a race five times and get five different winners.”

And that, in part, explained why Rebecca Romero reversed places with his Sandown conqueror Asian Trader in the five furlong handicap at Salisbury yesterday, writes John Hoskins.

The mare is one of those heart in the mouth horses who must be produced with a late run. Sometimes it works and sometimes, infuriatingly, it doesn’t. But this time it did.

“She was good enough if things dropped right and they fell right,” said Coakley.

James Doyle, riding her for the first time, had her tucked away at the back of the field before sweeping past the favourite well inside the final furlong. “She’s a hold up horse,”said Coakley. “They went fast early on and then slowed down and played into her hands.”

Richard Hughes, who had partnered Rebecca Romero in her four previous winners, took the feature race of the day when the progressive Professor landed the six furlong listed race to become the first favourite to win the race since 2004.

Professor is still in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot this week but will not run, with trainer Richard Hannon preferring a softly, softly approach with him.

Hannon, who hopes to clinch 100 winners for the season at Ascot. has Newmarket’s July meeting and Glorious Goodwood on the radar for the the three-year-old.

“I want to creep around with him,” he said of his future programme. “He’s a good horse and there’s much more to come. Every time he wins a race like this, that will do.”

The combination had been confidently expected to win the juvenile race with Art Official but in making his challenge, the bit slipped through the odds-on shot’s mouth, causing him to veer markedly across the course.

The unraced Intermath scored at 33/1 but the success was not totally unexpected for trainer David Evans. “He’s a nice horse but the trouble is that in these races you don’t know what you’re up against,” he said. “At one stage he lost a lot of condition but then put it back on. “Owner Wayne Clifford has four two-year-olds with me and this is probably the best.”

However, compensation for Hannon and Hughes was soon at hand with Glossy Posse for John Davis, who has had horses with Hannon since the late 1960s.

Intermath was the third leg of a treble for jockey Tom Queally, who had earlier ridden two winners in Continuun and the rank odds-on Magic of Reality, who relished the significant drop in class in the maiden fillies race.

Trainer lady Cecil was not present and travelling head lad Michael McGowan said of Continuum: “He was very backward last year and has taken a long time to come to hand. He’s still a big baby but is going the right way.”