Protectress pleases Cecil in defeat

Henry Cecil is sensing a return to the Classic arena despite seeing one of his candidates for the Vodafone Oaks, Protectress, beaten into second on her return at Newbury today.

Protectress was quoted as low as 10-1 for the Epsom classic after staying on stoutly to finish length and a quarter behind Geoff Wragg`s progressive Monturani in the Swettenham Stud Fillies` Trial Stakes over a mile and two furlongs.

The winner is not engaged at Epsom, but that did not deter Cecil, who maintained that the best is yet to come from Protectress and revealed that Java, whose reputation was dented with her defeat on her debut, is back in Classic contention.

'Protectress has taken a long time to come to herself and I had to give her a race to get the adrenaline going,' said Cecil. 'She was a bit fresh and free and whether she is an Oaks or Ribblesdale filly we`ll have to wait and see.

'If there`d been another furlong today she might have won. I`m very pleased and you haven`t seen the bestof her yet.'

Ladbrokes produced the most flattering Epsom quote for Protectress, trimming her from 12-1 to 10-1, while Paddy Power, at 14-1, are biggest about the daughter of Hector Protector.

Java, taken out of most Epsom lists after she could finish only second on her recent debut at Nottingham, was reintroduced at 16-1 by Ladbrokes following Cecil`s announcement that the filly would run in a maiden at Haydock next Friday.

'Java worked very well this morning, but we will wait and see what happens,' said Cecil.

Monturani, who dashed clear three furlongs out under Darryll Holland, was maintaining family honour. Six years earlier, her dam, Mezzogiorno had won the corresponding contest for Wragg at the chief expense of Protectress`s dam, Quota.

Mezzogiorno went on to finish third in the Oaks behind Lady Carla, but while Wragg is convinced Monturani will relish an extra two furlongs, he doubts that the daughter of Indian Ridge would be supplemented for Epsom at a cost of Stg£20,000. Instead, he will aim her for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Holland completed a double when taking the TFM Cyntergy Maiden Stakes on Hero`s Journey, who was completing a brace for trainer Richard Hannon, who had been on the mark with Rag Top in the opening race.

Rag Top will be handed Group race options after preserving her unbeaten record in the TFM Cyntergy Fillies` Conditions Stakes under Dane O`Neill.

Hannon is now eyeing either the Listed Swordlestown Stud Stakes at Naas on June 3rd or the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot later this month.

The trainer`s son, Richard, said: 'She`s a lovely a filly although I was hoping for a bit of rain. She`d go for the Queen Mary or Ireland.

'The race at Naas is sponsored by Cathal Ryan, who`s got horses with us, and is worth 80,000 euros.

'It would be nice to get a bit of black type as she does have a good pedigree.'