Timepiece takes Lingfield prize
Timepiece is evidently regarded as a hot prospect at Henry Cecil's stable and she showed it on the track with an authoritative victory at Lingfield.
The decorated trainer knows a thing or two about Timepiece's family - she is a half-sister to the Group-winning pair Passage Of Time and Father Time - and she was reviewed with great enthusiasm by both jockey Tom Queally and Cecil's assistant Mike Marshall.
Beaten half a length as a hot favourite on her first start at Newmarket last month, the daughter of Clepsydra barely put a foot wrong as she made all the running in the St Piers Maiden Fillies' Stakes at the rewarding odds of 5-2.
Marshall said: "She's a lovely filly. We were pleased with her at Newmarket but the ground was a bit on the fast side and we hoped the (Polytrack) surface would help.
"If you look at Passage and Father Time, she has a bit more substance than them and hopefully there are great things to come.
"She'll be much stronger next year but this looked quite a nice maiden and it was great to see her go and win like that."
Queally added: "She has improved a lot for her first run. The clues are in the family, but she's even more masculine in her shape than Father Time."
This was the second meeting since the all-weather surface underwent a hefty renovation and Queally said it was a bit slower than usual.
The groundstaff's efforts were rewarded by several other interesting maiden performances.
Godolphin's Sahara Kingdom must have been showing plenty at home to be made 6-4 favourite for division two of the Crowhurst Maiden Stakes and the striking grey pulled well clear despite plotting a wide course turning for home.
Jockey Ted Durcan explained: "He was slowly into stride - they went quite strong all the way but when I went to the outside he was rolling.
"I'm sure he is smart as he quickened up like a nice horse."
Sir Michael Stoute's Verdant was made the same price for division one and although he settled for a length-and-a-quarter triumph, it was nevertheless encouraging.
Successful jockey Ryan Moore then teamed up with Jeremy Noseda's 2-1 favourite Lemon N Sugar, who came with a convincing late run in the Sandhawes Hill Handicap.
He carries the colours of The Searchers, owners of top sprinter Fleeting Spirit.
One of the partners, Andy Stewart, was still annoyed with the treatment by the French stalls handlers of the eventual runner-up in Sunday's Prix de l'Abbaye.
"If the French had done their job properly, we would have won," he said. "I'm now looking forward to the four-year-old hurdle at Chepstow on Saturday. We're going to try to win it with Classic Swain, after Gwanako won two years ago."
Jockey Pat Cosgrave was in inspirational form on the remainder of the card as he collected a 1,653-1 treble.
It started with Ravi River (20-1) in the Marsh Green Handicap, was followed by Rock Ascot (20-1) coming late in the Tandridge Handicap and climaxed with a cosy victory for 11-4 favourite Rowan Tiger in the Blackberry Lane Handicap.
Another outsider, 25-1 shot Lucky Leigh, snared the Felcourt Handicap.
