Brief bounces back

Brief Encounter put a disappointing run at Royal Ascot behind him with a stylish display in the Premier Travel Handicap at Newmarket.Well fancied for the Britannia Handicap, Andrew Balding's charge failed to fire but was still only a 5-1 chance for this competitive-looking heat. Royston Ffrench tried to make all on the favourite Crackdown, but Liam Keniry guided his mount over to the far rail to get the better of the jolly by three-quarters of a length.Keniry said: "We came to the horse of Mark Johnston's (Crackdown) and in fairness, this fellow has put his head down and battled on well. At Ascot maybe he got a bit crowded, but he has done it well today."Balding said: "I don't know what happened at Royal Ascot, he ran a poor race and we were disappointed at the time. He did finish ninth in the Britannia but we were expecting more and that was much more like it today. He hit a flat spot two furlongs out and when he hit the rising ground, he's picked up and gone on well."