Zucchero upsets odds

Zucchero (right) was a surprise winner

Zucchero denied hot favourite Adiemus by a whisker in the £75,000 randombet.com Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday.

The 33-1 shot landed the first major race of the Flat turf season and gave both trainer David Arbuthnot and jockey Simon Whitworth their biggest career success.

Zucchero was always well-placed on the far side of the 23-runner cavalry charge down the straight mile on Town Moor and hit the front over two furlongs out.

In terms of prize money this is my biggest win

Winning jockey Simon Whitworth

Adiemus, sent off 5-2 favourite after four recent wins on the all-weather, threw down a big challenge but was unable to reel him in and was a head adrift at the line.

I Cried For You, backed from 8-1 into 5-1 before the off, was another two lengths away in third, with 20-1 shot Thihn fourth.

Reflecting on the race, Whitworth said: "I was always tracking Adiemus then when a gap came two and a half out I decided to make the best of my way home.

"He held on well in the end but he will be better on better ground.

There were no excuses in the Lincoln but it's great to come out and win a Listed race straight after

Royston Ffrench, who was second on Adiemus

"I have won the Northumberland Plate and some Group races abroad but in terms of prize money this is my biggest win."

His share of the prize money will offset a one-day ban for excessive use of the whip which rules Whitworth out of the busy Easter Monday programme.

Royston Ffrench, second on Adiemus, made up for missing out in the Lincolm with a pillar-to-post victory on Falcon Hill in the very next race, the Cammidge Trophy.

The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old held on gamely by a length from Needwood Blade with Orientor a neck back in third.

Ffrench said afterwards: "There were no excuses in the Lincoln but it's great to come out and win a Listed race straight after."