With title rivals Ryan Moore and Silvestre De Sousa breathing down his neck, champion jockey Paul Hanagan notched a welcome double at Ayr to end a lean spell lasting a week in which he had only one winner.
One of the major plusses of Hanagan's riding is the amount of times he prevails in a tight finish and the victory of Arriva La Diva (11-4) showed him at his best again.
He powered out on Linda Perratt's five-year-old and despite the pack closing, he managed to hold on by a short head from Dower Glen in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Victor Chandler Handicap.
Perratt said: "She blasted away and looked as if she was headed, but she fought back. I'd love a four-and-a-half-furlong race, but one hasn't been invented yet."
The fact that Hanagan was riding Bomber Jet for Nigel Tinkler in the Bet With Your Mobile At victorchandler.com Median Auction Maiden Stakes rather than Pitti Song, trained by his boss Richard Fahey, did not go unnoticed.
Sent off a 9-4 chance, the once-raced juvenile travelled noticeably well before drawing away to beat 15-8 favourite Flambard House by a length and a half.
Perratt was narrowly denied a double of her own when Berbice travelled supremely well in the first division of the Play Poker At victorchandler.com Handicap but failed to reel in Shayla (12-1), who signalled a welcome return to form for Alan Swinbank.
Having been without a winner since early May, the trainer made it a brace when Sartingo (9-1) got up close home in the Weddings At Western House Handicap. PJ McDonald rode both.
Drive Home (6-1) was an impressive winner of the second division of the Play Poker At victorchandler.com Handicap, Adrian Nicholls guiding Noel Wilson's four-year-old to victory by one and three-quarter lengths.
The trainer said: "He'd won over seven the time before and I thought he'd handle an easy mile at Musselburgh, but he didn't. This track suits him, he can be ridden just behind the pace and save a bit. He was a cheap buy (£800), but he's a good looking horse."
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