CRYSTAL QUEEN ran out a clear-cut winner of the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Beverley – handing the fledgling partnership of Richard and Peter Fahey its most significant win to date.

Fahey senior had won the race twice before in his own name and, with the father and son duo taking out a dual licence, had no qualms about heading for this £50,000 contest after seeing the daughter of Cotai Glory chase home a Wathnan Racing-owned hotpot at Ayr on debut.

Having settled beautifully in the hands of Connor Beasley, the filly quickened up smartly and had a length and a quarter to spare over Roots In Touche, who made late gains for second, to win at 5-1.

Beasley said: “I didn’t ride her the last day, but she’s come forward and obviously it looks to be a good race going forward.

LEADING THE WAY: Crystal Queen and Connor Beasley on their way to winning the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Beverley on Saturday. Picture: Nigel French/PA

placeholder image — LEADING THE WAY: Crystal Queen and Connor Beasley on their way to winning the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Beverley on Saturday. Picture: Nigel French/PA

“She jumped nicely today and just opened up a bit on one side and when I asked for a little bit under pressure she just hung a little bit. But once she got into top gear she was very straightforward.

“I’ll leave it to connections about where she goes, but there’s lots to like about her. She has the size and the scope and she was very good.”

Kevin Ryan’s Matteo maintained his unbeaten record and showed a different side to his game in the Two Year Old Trophy EBF Conditions Stakes.

When winning on his debut at the track he displayed his blistering early speed and that was once again shown in abundance.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Matteo ridden by Kevin Stott wins the Beverley Two Year Old Trophy EBF Conditions Stakes at Beverley on Saturday. Picture: Nigel French/PA

He looked to have the race in safe keeping when going two lengths clear over a furlong out.

However, he began to idle in the closing stages and Ronson, who had been slowly away, came with a late rattle.

The winning line arrived in time for Matteo (11-10 favourite) with Kevin Stott’s mount holding on by a short head.

Ryan said: “He’s such a lovely, game horse. He’s got loads of talent.

IN FRONT: Who's Lope and PJ McDonald pictured winning the Birch Flooring Novice Stakes at Beverley racecourse. Picture: Nigel French/PA

“He’s very, very relaxed. He’ll have learned an awful lot today, I think – I don’t think he learned an awful lot the last day because he had it so easy.

“He’s had to have a little bit of a race today. It always looked like he was going to do it. Hopefully we’ll go to Royal Ascot now.

“The form is there to see. He’s very talented. He’ll possibly get six, but I’m not making decisions like that just yet. I think he’ll handle a bit more cut in the ground, but good is all he’s run on.”

Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 20-1 for the Norfolk Stakes.

It will be a very different setting for the Andrew Balding team in a week’s time, but they enjoyed a winner at Beverley on Saturday before the countdown begins in earnest to Epsom and the Derby.

Who’s Lope (2-1) boosted the Kingsclere operation as he took advantage of a mishap from short-priced favourite Urchin to break his maiden at the third time of asking in the Birch Flooring Novice Stakes.

The Karl Burke-trained Urchin was sent off the 1-2 favourite on the Westwood but his race was essentially run by the first bend when he ran wide and never truly recovered.

Balding’s three-year-old took it up and never saw either of his two rivals again, finding found more inside the final furlong to win going away from the staying-on Urchin by four and a quarter lengths.

Anna Lisa Balding, assistant to her husband, said: “We’re delighted with that. He’s been doing some good work at home and we thought it would be worth the trip up and it definitely was.”

It will fall to Juddmonte-owned Frankel colt Item to fly the flag for the Baldings in the blue riband, for which he is the shortest-priced domestic challenger on the back of his victory in the Dante at York.

Oisin Orr will get fewer easier winners this season than Sportingsilvermine (7-2) in the opening Napoleons Casino Hull Handicap.

James Owen’s five-year-old laid down his challenge two furlongs from home and Orr asked his mount for more approaching the one pole and the Holy Roman Emperor gelding quickly left his rivals in his wake as he sped away to come home six lengths clear of the field.

Orr said: “I definitely won’t have many easier winners than that. There was plenty of pace on early and I just took my lead and he did it very nicely.”

Mikey Sheehy celebrated just his second victory in Britain on Vietnorm (2-1) after moving from Ireland, in what was an eventful ICS Cleaning Services Handicap over 10 furlongs.

Bradbury had just hit the front when he veered sharply left across the track and although Ryan Sexton got control of the favourite to get him back in front, Sheehy and the fast-finishing Vietnorm just did enough to get up by a head.

Sheehy said of the Adrian Keatley-trained winner: “These four-runner races can be harder to run than any race. It was great for the lads, a great bunch of owners and if he goes up to a mile and a half we’ll see a better horse.”

Connor Beasley completed a double on Glenfinnan (12-1) in the Happy Birthday Colin “Spud” Stamford Handicap, having earlier won the Hilary Needler Trophy on Crystal Queen.

The 66-1 outsider Anificas Beauty got up late on the outside to collar the front-running Penny Ghent and win the closing Platinum Queen Play Live After Racing Handicap.