Down the field in the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar 147 days ago, Soprano bounced back to winning ways by taking the main race of the day The Class One Virgin Bet Snowdrop Fillies Stakes at Kempton Park on Saturday.

The George Boughey-trained filly was making her first start since the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and made all under William Buick, but the fast-finishing Crimson Advocate chased her right to the line and only a photo-finish could determine the nose victory.

"George and the team were very sweet on her today," said Buick. "She's a Royal Ascot winner already, a Group Three winner in Deauville last year and third in the Matron, so she's high class. I think it's a great start to the season."

The filly is owned by the successful Highclere Thoroughbred Partnership, who showed up 30 strong to collect the valuable prize.

Managing director Harry Herbert is hopeful the filly can claim more Royal Ascot riches in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

"What a wonderful filly," Herbert said. "She's proven she's a Group One filly and George was keen to come here.

"William said she was too gassy and fresh, but she gave him a terrific feel. When he asked her to put the race to bed, despite running so free, she really kicked. Royal Ascot is so important to all of us, so that will definitely be the plan."

It proved to be double delight for the syndicate who an hour earlier had bagged another big race win when Spy Catcher took the Class One Cammidge Trophy on the opening day of the flat season at Doncaster.

Trainer Boughey came within a head of landing a cross the card double with Oliver Show missing out by a nose in the Lincoln Handicap.

Newmarket trainer T.J Kent is the trainer in form at the moment, after landing a double at Lingfield his only runner of the day maintained his 100 per cent success rate of the week when Habooba led all the way before almost getting caught on the line to hold off the challenge of Aramran by a head in the finale of the afternoon.

The Owen Burrows trained three-year-old Glittering Surf ran home an eye catching winner of the mile fillies conditional stakes.

The filly came from behind to win nicely under David Probert and will head to York’s Michael Seely Stakes before a potential run in the Coronation Stakes.

Burrows said: "To be honest, turning in they hadn't gone quick and I thought she'd do well to get involved, but what she did from the third-last furlong to a furlong and a half out shows she's obviously pretty smart.

"I thought she'd be a bit of a work in progress but she's obviously talented, because I still think she's can only improve. She's exciting, so all being well she'll go to York and that gives me a nice six weeks to let her blossom."

Reigning champion jockey Oisin Murphy delivered another outstanding ride when he snuck up the rail to land the Rosebery Handicap for trainer Andrew Balding to take his Kempton record to three wins from four starts.

"He's a quality horse when things click for him,” Murphy said. “He loves it round here but he can also perform on turf.”

By Peter Moore