Horse Racing: Cecil looks to wind up Timepiece with win

TIMEPIECE can cement her position as Investec Oaks favourite with victory on her reappearance in the Blue Square Feilden Stakes at Newmarket today.

Henry Cecil has no peers when it comes to training fillies and this well-related daughter of Zamindar is at the top of his list as he seeks a remarkable ninth Oaks at Epsom in June. Winner of two of her three starts, the Warren Place maestro's comment that "I promise, you haven't seen the best of her" might be a telling one.

That remark came after she stayed on determinedly in a Listed race over a mile at this track at the end of October, an event in which Cecil has of late run Passage Of Time and Midday. It had a solid look to it at the time and was done no harm by Clarietta's close third to 1,000 Guineas hope Pipette the other day.

Reports of her homework have been most encouraging and this nine furlongs looks an ideal place to start in receipt of a couple of pounds from the colts.

Cecil has a really strong hand in the distaff division this term and can double up with Principal Role in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes.

The manner of her maiden win at Yarmouth was taken with the future in mind. It is encouraging to see her trainer has some of his better types out this early so she should be ready to do herself justice.

Hot Prospect might yet live up to his name and can land a big pot in the richly-endowed 250,000 Tattersalls Timeform 3-Y-O Trophy.

It was most disappointing that Hot Prospect could not justify favouritism on his final start at Pontefract, but it is worth noting he got worked up and ran free, with the writing being on the wall some way from home.

Put a line through that and he has every chance.

It is unlikely there are any real stars lurking in the Blue- square.com European Free Handicap and the safest option looks to be Richard Hannon's Quadrille.

He was only just touched off on his final two-year-old start, losing his unbeaten record by a head but finishing six lengths clear of third.

• Elusive Pimpernel heads a field of nine for the Racing Post breezeupbonus.com Craven Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow. The John Dunlop-trained colt was an excellent second to St Nicholas Abbey in the Racing Post Trophy on his final start as a two-year-old.

The Brian Meehan-trained Dancing David and Peter Chapple-Hyam's Morana, who were fourth and fifth in the Doncaster Group 1 last October, re-oppose.