Bookmakers came up with widely differing quotes after Beat Hollow laid down his Derby credentials with a defeat of stablemate Sandmason in the Green Ridge Stables Newmarket Stakes today.
Victor Chandler were impressed enough to chop Beat Hollow to 7-2 favourite for the Epsom Classic yet Ladbrokes were happy enough to leave the colt unchanged at 7-1.
Beat Hollow, easy-to-back at 11-8, was forced to make most of the running as there threatened to be a slow gallop in the Listed event.
But the Sadler's Wells colt quickened well when Richard Quinn asked the question with two furlongs to go.
Beat Hollow was tiring slightly in the final furlong but had matters under control and came home one and a quarter lengths clear of Sandmason with Godolphin's first runner Entisar a further nine lengths away.
"Both horses ran well and will come on for the race," said trainer Henry Cecil.
"Richard left Beat Hollow alone once he had won the race and he did get a little bit tired.
"He will definitely need another run if he is going to become a live Derby contender."
Beat Hollow is like to be further tested in the Dante Stakes at York later in the month. Sandmason has the Glasgow Stakes at the same meeting pencilled in as his next engagement.
Cecil's Bien Entendu, a possible for the Lingfield Derby Trial, is also a likely Epsom contender.
The trainer said: "It's impossible to compare the two at present. They haven't worked together and they are different types."
Blueprint landed the Sagitta Jockey Club Stakes for The Queen but the mystery of the race was the demise of Vodafone Oaks winner Ramruma who was never really going well and finished last of the 11 runner field.
As Kahtan led the field into the final half mile, 11-4 favourite Ramruma, who had pulled early, looked to be settled in second place by Richard Quinn but the distress signs soon became apparent and as the pressure was applied she quickly dropped back.
Blueprint, meanwhile, was brought with a wet sail by champion jockey Kieren Fallon and got home by one and a half lengths from French raider Casamasa (33-1) with Largesse grabbing third a further three quarters of a length.
"He's progressed I think," said winning trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
"The Hardwicke Stakes would be the major target but I would have to stop and think whether he should have another race before then."
Henry Cecil was mystified by Ramruma's poor performance.
"She'd been working really well at home," he said.
"I thought she'd be thereabouts, probably in the first three, but she went out like a light.
"We'll take her home and have her checked out but there's no explanation."
