Henry Cecil fires warning over Timepiece's Guineas claim

Henry Cecil has warned that Timepiece, ante-post favourite for the Investec Oaks, may find a mile on the sharp side as she makes her seasonal debut in the Blue Square Feilden Stakes on the opening day of the Craven meeting at Newmarket tomorrow.

The half-sister to Passage Of Time also holds an entry in the 1,000 Guineas but although she ran over a mile in all three of her races as a two-year-old, Cecil thinks she will be better over longer distances.

The filly ended her juvenile campaign with victory in the Listed Montrose Stakes and tackles nine furlongs for the first time on the Rowley Mile.

"Timepiece may need further than a mile but Newmarket will tell us more," Cecil said. "She should run well and I do not want to run her at a shorter distance first time out."

Richard Hannon enjoyed a glorious season last term and is hopeful that both his runners in the European Free Handicap will propel themselves into the reckoning for the season's first Classic.

Hannon said: "We run two in the Free Handicap, the Queen's Quadrille and Julie Wood's Fremont and both have decent chances. Quadrille has done well through the winter and the same can be said of Fremont."