Walkover for Milczarek

What looked an interesting Casino At bet365 Conditions Stakes at Sandown was reduced to a walk-over for James Toller's Rewarded

He was the only runner after Starboard and Poole Harbour were both withdrawn due to the heavy ground.

This gave Kirsty Milczarek the easiest possible first winner since she overturned a two-year ban imposed by the British Horseracing Authority as part of a corruption investigation.

"I was saying to the other lads that it wasn't how I wanted it to be, but I've been through a tough time and a winner's a winner," said Milczarek.

Toller said: "I'm very pleased to have given Kirsty a winner as it looked pretty rough treatment when you saw what came out of the appeal. I never doubted her myself, but no-one ever asked me.

"It's a pity for the horse as I was hoping to see how good he was. I think he's quite nice, so we'll get him out again quickly."

Ballesteros seemed to appreciate the return to the minimum trip as he pulled past Bear Behind in the bet365 Handicap at Sandown.

As Brian Meehan's three-year-old is a son of Tomba, it is no surprise he handles soft ground and he looked far sharper than on his first outing of the season, when he only beat a handful home at Newmarket.

Ballesteros (7-2) and Bear Behind ended up finishing a surprising 11 lengths clear of the remaining runners, with Ryan Moore managing to get a neck in front of his rival by the line. The 6-5 favourite Rafeej did not seem to handle conditions and was last.

"I think six furlongs was too far for him at Newmarket but I think it was good to get the fizz out of him too," said Meehan.

"He loved the ground. He was off 93 today and I suppose we'll try to find another handicap. There may be one at Chester."

Silvestre de Sousa did his occasional association with trainer Marco Botti no harm at all with a masterful ride on Grey Mirage (6-1) in the bet365 Esher Cup.

The aspiring champion jockey made all the running on this progressive and powerful son of Oasis Dream, looking as if he might be tackled by Moore and Kid Suitor with a furlong to run but keeping something up his sleeve and quickening away again to finish four lengths clear.

Grey Mirage had two quiet runs as a juvenile before winning on his reappearance at Kempton late last month.

"Marco has been very lucky for me, and I have been very lucky for him. He puts me up now and again, and I'm very pleased for the opportunity," De Sousa said.

Botti's assistant, Mario Baratti, said: "He shows ability at home but we thought it was a tough race. He loved the ground. I know the trainer had some ideas about where to go next, but he wanted to see how he ran here first."

There was another powerful performance from the front as Mikael Barzalona and Samba King (11-2) dotted up in the bet365.com Handicap.

Mahmood Al Zarooni's Yarmouth winner was pressed from all sides but ended drawing four lengths clear of Little Dutch Girl.

Al Zarooni's representative, Chris Connett, said: "It was on the soft side when he won at Yarmouth and he seemed to love the conditions."

The Casino At bet365.com Conditions Stakes was reduced to a walkover because of two withdrawals, giving Kirsty Milczarek the easiest possible first winner since her return to the saddle.

Sir Henry Cecil's Morant Bay (7-4 favourite) in the Jacqueline Quest colours of Noel Martin, just lasted home in the Nordoff Robbins Willie Robertson Memorial Maiden Fillies' Stakes.