Johnny Barnes bounced back from losing his unbeaten tag last month with a convincing victory in the 5.10 at Leicester this afternoon.

Running in the Wymeswold Conditions Stakes, a seven-furlong class three race for two-year-olds, the bay colt streaked home under William Buick after showing good tactical speed from a wide draw to take up the running from the five-furlong mark in the four-horse field.

Trained by John Gosden and owned by the Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing syndicate, the 10-11 favourite beat Dougal, a 7-4 second favourite, by four lengths, with Henryhudsonbridge and Midtech Star running like the 12-1 outsiders they were in the betting, finishing ten and 15 lengths adrift respectively.

Johnny Barnes impressed mightily in winning his maiden on debut at Yarmouth on August 13, which led to the possibility of him being afforded some lofty entries. But such ambitions were put on hold when he struggled to handle the Goodwood track second time up and was well beaten into third place on September 2.

It was thought that the good-to-soft going might have contributed to his undoing, but yesterday he cut a dash through heavy turf at Leicester and was going away at the line after seeing off an abbreviated challenge from Dougal two furlongs out.

The race was worth £6,469 (about $10,600) to Johnny Barnes’s handlers, but they will have more in store for the game colt.