RICHARD HANNON, who has put his money where his mouth is to back Dane O'Neill for the apprentice championship, saw his protege repay him with a Bank Holiday double for the trainer at Kempton yesterday.
Wins on Please Suzanne and Desert Green took the Co Cork born rider to 13 for the season and into a two victory lead over Feargal Lynch in the race to finish the turf season's leading young jockey.
O'Neill, aged 20, opened the season spectacularly with a Lincoln success on Stone Ridge and he showed he has a cool head in a crisis when capturing the Ballygallon Stud Fillies Stakes and the Jubilee Handicap.
Please Suzanne, once a 1,000 Guineas entry, looked to have nowhere to go at one stage but O'Neill bided his time, waited for a gap to emerge a furlong out and drove her clear of Baize by a length and a quarter.
"I thought he was bang in trouble and would never get out. But he's a cool customer and I've had a few quid on him to win the apprentice title so I will have to keep giving him rides," said Hannon.
Please Suzanne, hated the soft ground when beaten 20 lengths by Bosra Sham last time, and may be aimed at Royal Ascot's Jersey Stakes.
But Desert Green's future may lie over obstacles even though the seven year old was able to clinch his second successive win in the £30,000 Jubilee Handicap.
He changed hands over the winter but remains with Hannon who produced him to beat Clan Ben by three quarters of a length with Crumpton Hill third.
"He likes a turning track like here and Goodwood but hates the sight of Newmarket," Hannon said.
"He was bought from Sheikh Mana Al Maktoum as a dual purpose horse and he jumps for fun at home but his new owners got cold feet and decided to give him one more season on the flat."
Proposing, off the track since fracturing his near fore knee at Lingfield over a year ago, won his first start on the grass when capturing the two runner Racecall Conditions Stakes.
He made all the running under Gary Hind to win by a length and three quarters from favourite Bahamian Sunshine, who just couldn't get to him in the dash to the line.
"That was an old fashioned match. Willie Shoemaker would also make the running in those races and Bahamian Sunshine was always going to need a lead," said trainer John Gosden.
Michael Stoute and Ray Cochrane clinched a first and last race double with Whitewater Affair and Derby entry Dr Massini, the trainer's first winner for Michael Tabor.
