The Irishman refused any rash option and eventually the door creaked open

The Irishman refused any rash option and eventually the door creaked open. "I got that split and she did it in half a dozen strides," he said.Sleepytime's avenue developed between Oh Nellie, the 50-1 shot, and Dazzle, and once a giraffe stride took her to the front it seemed no burden to put four lengths between herself and the pack. The favourite, Pas De Reponse, ran out of puff at this distance and had to settle for fourth.In the winners' enclosure, Cecil was more pleased for his jockey than himself. Kieren Fallon seems a benign young man with a voice that starts in his riding boots, but this image is accompanied by one of the worst disciplinary records in racing.This was doubtlessly pointed out to Cecil as he conducted his stable- jockey interviews and there was a degree of justification in his post- race comments yesterday "Kieren is a very hard worker," he said.

"He's shown today that he is a Group One jockey, which is all we need."The omission from the celebrations was Charles H Wacker III, the figurehead behind the winning ownership of Greenbay Stables. Cecil spoke by mobile phone to the winning owner at his property in Spain. It is safe to assume that abode is not a beach hut, as there have not been many impoverished Charles H Wackers since the family established a machine-tools business serving the automobile industry. The Wacker Boulevard in Chicago is named after the III's grandfather. The Newmarket Classics of 1997 have gone to names that have been on the streets of Headquarters since this time last year.. When Entrepreneur reveals his noble frame at Epsom next month the big question will be by how far he wins the Derby.

The mere act of succeeding has already been taken for granted, just as it was with Tenby in 1993 and Pennekamp two years ago They lost badly. Such is the maniacal desire among racing folk for the arrival of a new wonder horse that a display of great promise can shove any colt well up the road to greatness. Entrepreneur, it must be said, performed beautifully in collecting the 2,000 Guineas on Saturday, but there are still plenty of hairpins and chicanes for him to negotiate before his name plate is nailed on to a box in the pantheon. Part of the enthusiasm for Entrepreneur's prospects in the Blue Riband is the assumption that he will be an even more potent force over the 12 furlongs of Epsom. Family ties suggest he will be, but then my father and brother still have full heads of hair. Certainly, Michael Kinane, Saturday's winning rider, did not feel the sensation of a middle-distance horse beneath him at the weekend.

"He doesn't ride like a typical mile and a half horse because he's got a lot of natural speed," the jockey said. "He's a classy individual and, like all the good horses I've ridden, he's got that different speed."Having said that, when he travels that well in a Guineas you've got to be happy he'll travel even better going a mile and a half. He's so well balanced that it would really surprise me if he fell on his head going round Tattenham Corner. The thing about Epsom is that horses don't act if they're not making ground easily and he'll do that."Entrepreneur has also shown that he can be distracted. Bolting for the sunset is not the only thing that comes naturally to him. The euphemism is that he has been a little "coltish", an animal who could not wait for his athletic career to be over so he could sweep into the boudoirs of the breeding shed.This followed a debut defeat when he was overcome by infatuation for the in-season filly in the next stall.

"She took his mind off the job in hand," Michael Stoute, his trainer, said. "He followed her and she was swishing her tail and messing about."Supporters will argue that Entrepreneur will benefit for the maturing effect of competing in his first big race. His price drifted on the day, not least because he made melancholy whinnying noises in the parade ring as if he was missing his mummy. In the paddock itself the dark stain of sweat was soon spreading out over his stomach, and by flagfall the discoloration had taken in his shoulders. This misled many.Revoque, the favourite, was more composed, and everything went right for him until he had run 10 yards. He appears to be a vehicle who clicks up through the gears as swiftly as a combine harvester.