Newmarket trainer Chris Wall told viewers of the At The Races television channel yesterday morning that Royal Rock represented his best chance of a winner on the first day of the Great Yarmouth three-day festival.

He was proved right a few hours later when his seven-year-old gelding took the feature race worth more than �6,000 to the winner on a bumper eight-race card.

Jockey Ted Durcan had the 9-4 shot in a good position throughout and won well to record the gelding's first win for more than two years.

Apprentice jockey Adam Beschizza produced a super ride to win on Pickled Pelican in the second race. Beschizza made all alone on the stands rail to steer home the William Haggas trained gelding, part-owned by the trainer's father-in-law, Lester Piggott.

None of the eight rivals could deliver a challenge to Pickled Pelican who won by seven lengths thanks to Beschizza keeping his mount on the better ground.

Another apprentice to sparkle was Kieran O'Neill who won the penultimate event on Secret Millionaire for trainer Patrick Morris.

Normally a hold-up horse, O'Neill hit the front early and won at 11-2 from fast finisher Soap Wars.

While Beschizza and O'Neill took the plaudits, jockey Jimmy Fortune's tactics were debatable on odds-on favourite Question Times in the maiden.

Fortune had the favourite behind the leaders and when he challenged the gaps tightened up to leave him unable to overhaul the Philip Robinson ridden and Clive Brittain trained Ziraun.

Shane Kelly won on 4-1 shot Larkrise Star in Division One of the Nicholsons of Stalham Handicap for trainer Dean Ivory and half an hour later Division Two was won by Desert Chieftain from Luca Cumani's yard.

Hayley Turner, currently injured, is a Great Yarmouth favourite and Kirsty Milczarek kept the flag flying for the girls with a comfortable success on the 9-2 shot which shortened from 6-1.

By his standards, Sir Michael Stoute has had an indifferent season but he introduced a likeable newcomer to win the two-year-old six furlong sprint.

Ultrasonic drifted in the market out to 7-2 but jockey Tom Queally pushed the filly home to hold off fast-finishing Shaleek.

The last race proved eventful with two horses pulled up after clashing. That left it clear for 9-4 joint favourite Armoise, under Adam Kirby, to win by three lengths for trainer Marco Botti.

The second day of the meeting today again features eight races, with the first at 2.10.