Technician (3c Mastercraftsman – Arosa, by Sadler’s Wells) gained his second black-type win when taking the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

A Listed winner over ten furlongs in June, Saturday saw the grey step up in trip to a mile and five and a half furlongs, with the ground described as soft. Rob Hornby rode him to track the leaders and waited until the two furlong pole to make his move. Ridden out, he stayed on well to lead close home, beating the favourite Morando by three parts of a length, with a further six lengths back to the third horse.

Speaking after the race, assistant trainer Freddie Meade commented, “It’s a credit to him he can win over a mile and a quarter and possibly Doncaster will be next. We’ll talk to everyone, but the St Leger has been on our radar for a long time. He gets the trip and the way the ground will be in September would make it a logical step.”

Trained by Martyn Meade for Team Valor, the Barronstown-bred colt is a half-brother to the Group-placed Water Hole. A full-sister to Technician sold the very same day at Arqana, where Dermot Farrington and Phoenix Thoroughbreds went to €240,000 for the chesnut yearling.