SOLILOQUY was an emphatic winner of the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.

Runner-up on her July course debut last August, Charlie Appleby's filly went one better at Ascot the following month and was making her first appearance since in this recognised trial for the Qipco 1000 Guineas.

Ridden by William Buick, the 4-1 shot was smartly away and soon adopted a pacesetting role.

Altyn Orda did her best to make a race of it, while Eirene made a move from further back, but Soliloquy never looked in serious danger of being caught and only had to be ridden out hands and heels to claim the Group 3 prize by a length and three-quarters.

Altyn Orda narrowly beat Eirene to the runner-up spot.

Deauville's preformance

Connections of Deauville were pleased with his bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes performance, despite having to settle for second behind Forest Ranger at Newmarket.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained 6-4 market leader had his sights lowered significantly after rounding off 2017 with three consecutive appearances at Group 1 level.

Frankuus took the field along for much of the way, with Deauville and Richard Fahey's 8-1 shot Forest Ranger always his closest pursuers.

When Frankuus wilted, Deauville and Forest Ranger moved up to dispute the lead, with Robin Of Navan briefly threatening to get involved.

In the end, though, it turned into a straight duel and it was Forest Ranger who won the battle for the Group Three prize by half a length in the hands of Tony Hamilton.

Coolmore's UK representative Kevin Buckley said of Deauville: "Ryan (Moore) was very happy with that run. It was his first run of the season.

"We were concerned on the ground as it wasn't his ideal surface, but we couldn't be happier and we look forward to his next run."

Forest Ranger was listed in the official racecard as a colt, but was actually having his first run since being gelded.

Fahey said: "I only noticed this morning he was down as a colt. We should have notified them he'd been gelded.

"We had him gelded at the end of last season. I don't know if that's made much of a difference. He's just improving.

"We felt he's such a big unit we had to take some weight off. He wasn't being coltish or anything.

"It was a proper Group 3 and it looks like he's stepped up a gear.

"I thought he'd need the race because he's quite a big lad and he's lazy at home. We gave him an away-day about 10 days ago and maybe that put him right."

The master of Musley Bank is in no rush to firm up future targets, adding: "I have no plans for him. I'm not sure what trip he wants - a mile or a mile and a quarter. We'll have a discussion and see how he is.

"I'm stuck in no man's land in my own mind at the minute.

"He could end up somewhere like the Eclipse, but the difficulty is I trained the sister and she didn't stay a mile and a quarter. She always looked like she would and I'm still in two minds about this guy. Brother and sister, you shouldn't compare the two, but she definitely looked like she'd stay and didn't.

"He didn't stop there today. I was impressed with that. It's a tricky one."

Forest Ranger and Tony Hamilton (right) winning the bet365 Earl of Sefton Stakes from Deauville at Newmarket (Photo: healyracing.ie)

READ IAN CARNABY'S REPORTS IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD