James Cook on voyage of discovery

The Ballydoyle handler won the race with the well-supported Alessandro Volta in 2008, while Age Of Aquarius obliged at odds-on last year.

Captain James Cook may not have quite the tall reputation of that pair, but he looks a thoroughly progressive type and will surely have benefited from a recent all-weather win at Dundalk. His head victory over Behtarini might not read that well on the face of it, but the pair pulled 12 lengths clear of the third – with the runner-up having some decent form against the likes of Chabal and Jan Vermeer as a juvenile.

Captain James Cook still won with a little in hand and while there are plenty of question marks, O'Brien is not one to tilt at windmills.

Henry Cecil is renowned for his achievements with fillies and Timepiece looks a potential Classic contender, despite a surprise defeat on her seasonal bow. Winner of two of her three juvenile starts, the half-sister to Passage Of Time was well supported to make a victorious comeback at Newmarket's Craven meeting, only to finish fourth having failed to get a clear run.

However, with a smoother passage she would probably have been second and, in hindsight, that was a perfectly respectable return as the winner Rumoush is smart and was far from disgraced in the 1000 Guineas, while third-placed Maria De Medici has subsequently tasted Listed glory.

The form now has a strong look to it and with Cecil having used the totesportcasino.com Oaks Trial Stakes as a prep event for last year's Epsom second Midday, it is hard to ignore Timepiece's claim.

Reggane can regain the winning thread in the totesport 0800 221 221 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes.

At Chester yesterday, Azmeel wore down Doctor David to land the Group 3 Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes. Favourite Doctor David had no answer to the 7-2 winner's finishing kick, but kept on well to finish half a length adrift at the line.

Harbinger (8-13) won impressively in the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes at Chester.