THE afternoon, at Newmarket yesterday, began with a comfortable victory for 2/1 favourite Mrs Danvers in the Group 3 Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes over five furlongs. Jonathan Portman’s grey filly took her unbeaten run to five, moving through smoothly to beat Clem Fandango by a length and a half, with strong front-runner Battaash half a length away in third.

Not many could live with the pace set by Battaash but Richard Kingscote always looked confident on the winner, easing her through to lead before the furlong marker. She has proved a remarkable bargain, having been led out unsold at £1,000 at the sales before reeling off five straight wins totalling £195,000. Yesterday she broke the course record for juveniles, clocking an impressive 58.69 seconds.

“She’s very special, she’s got the speed and the spirit,” Portman said. “She wasn’t quite right after her last run and it’s been a rush to get her here. Next year we’ll have to think about races like the Commonwealth Cup and the Nunthorpe.”

Paddy Power reacted by making Mrs Danvers a 10/1 chance for the former race and the omens are favourable because Quiet Reflection won this before going on to greater glory in that race at Ascot this year.

Andrew Balding, nursing high hopes regarding South Seas in this afternoon’s Dewhurst, received a welcome boost when Poet’s Vanity and Oisin Murphy prevailed in the Group 3 visionsport.com Oh So Sharp Stakes, a seven-furlong event for two-year-old fillies.

A 200,000 guineas Poet’s Voice yearling, Poet’s Vanity had impressed everyone when coming home 10 lengths clear in a Salisbury maiden following a promising debut fourth on the July Course here.

Yesterday she chased clear leader Miss Infinity and was sent on before the furlong pole. Murphy then drove her right out to hold Glitter Gold by a length with Unforgetable Filly the same distance away. Andre Fabre’s Double Lady was made 3/1 favourite but could keep on at only the one pace in fifth.

The Group 2 Challenge Stakes, another race over seven furlongs, looked quite intricate but was won in clear-cut style by Martyn Meade’s three-year-old Aclaim, who powered through towards the near side and went clear under a perfectly timed challenge by Frankie Dettori.

A filly of moods, the grey Lumiere seemed on better terms with herself today and led down the centre of the track for James Doyle, with Gifted Master in control towards the stands’ rails. Jallota made his move as they entered the closing stages but nothing was travelling as well as Aclaim, 6/1, who swept into the lead and drew away to beat Lumiere and Jallota without coming under strong pressure.

Stepping up in trip seems to have been helped the winner, whose form had levelled out over six furlongs. Upped to a mile, he won a competitive handicap at Ascot on the soft and followed up in a seven-furlong listed event at Newbury. He goes on all types of ground and is a credit to his handler, who was seeing him win his fourth race in eight outings this term.

“Yes he handles it but I think he probably wants a bit more cut in the ground,” Dettori said. “I think Martyn’s team was a bit nervous beforehand, but this was a solid Group 2 with plenty of strength in depth.”

“It’s unlikely he’ll run again this year, but he’s a lovely horse with all the right attributes,” Meade added. “There’s no doubt seven furlongs has been the making of him.”

SCARLET DRAGON

The supremely tough and consistent Scarlet Dragon may not be a future star but he is undoubtedly a star of the present and a massive pot came his way in the Godolphin Flying Start Old Rowley Cup over a mile and a half.

This was a Heritage Handicap with £140,000 guaranteed in the kitty and £87,150 going to Henry Ponsonby’s Hp Racing Scarlet Dragon syndicate. In splendid fettle this year, the Sir Percy three-year-old was winning for the fourth time in his last six outings and defied 8st 12lb with the minimum of fuss, giving young 5lb claimer Hollie Doyle her biggest success to date.

Lord Yeats led down the centre of the course with Sir Valentine one of the first to challenge. As they ran past the two-furlong pole, at least eight horses came with determined-looking efforts but Scarlet Dragon was virtually hacking over them and readily pulled clear on the climb to the line, beating New Caledonia by nearly two lengths, with Danehill Kodiac and Sixties Groove leading players in the bunched finish behind.

Scarlet Dragon has only once finished out of the first four in 10 outings this year and his rating has gone up from 79 to 103. He is a credit to Eve Johnson Houghton, who is enjoying easily her best campaign so far.