FORMER Roger Charlton apprentice Richard Kingscote gained his first Group success of his career so far when he partnered 6-1 shot Classic Blade to victory in the Group Two TNT July Stakes at Newmarket's July Festival meeting.

The young Marlborough jockey was delighted with the victory and was full of praise for trainer Tom Dascombe, saying: "Tom gives me brilliant orders and trusts me and everything worked out well. It's great for the yard, Tom's an up and coming trainer and he's doing brilliant."

Kingscote went on to tell Turf Talk: "Classic Blade had to improve a bit from his last run so I must admit I was hopeful rather than confident, but he ran well for me. It's great to get a Group winner under my belt and things are going well this season.

"I didn't have too much time to dwell on the success because it was a quick dash from Newmarket to ride at Nottingham in the evening. Fingers crossed, I hope the winners will continue to come."

The two-year-old colt had produced some decent form winning at Doncaster and Salisbury and made every yard of the running. The Peter Chapple-Hyam trained Sayif began to draw alongside near the line but Classic Blade ran on well for a well-earned victory.

It was also a first Group winner for third season Lambourn trainer Dascombe, featured in Turf Talk at the end of last flat season.

He said after the race: "It's amazing. Our target last season was to have a Listed winner which we achieved with Max One Two Three and our target this year was to win a Group race, so we had better make it two Group winners now.

"He won a Class II conditions event last time and I said to the owners let's stick him in the race and see what happens'. I saw there were only nine entered so I thought we had to go for it.

"Above everything else I would like to say a big thank you to all my staff, because they all worked really hard for this."

Kingscote and Dascombe were on the mark again at Newmarket yesterday when Firth of Fifth won the Group Two Weatherbys Superlative Stakes, worth £45,000, at 8-1.