Valvano is set for a step up in distance following his encouraging return behind 2000 Guineas hopeful Notable Speech at Kempton.

An impressive winner of a heavy ground maiden at Nottingham last October, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt was tasked with taking on Godolphin’s highly-regarded and unbeaten track-and-trip specialist for his return in a conditions race won by some top operators over the years.

The son of Night Of Thunder lost little in defeat when headed late on by the speedy winner – who was cut across the boards for the 2000 Guineas in the aftermath – and having blown away the cobwebs and confirmed the promise of his excellent debut, connections can now look forward to moving up in distance and a possible run in a Classic trial next.

“We knew we were going to use Saturday as a stepping stone and we know that he is going to want 10 furlongs plus and probably with a bit of juice in the ground, so for Valvano to go a mile round Kempton and take on a horse who has every chance of taking his chance in the Guineas, it was always going to be a tough ask,” said Alex Elliott, adviser to owners Valmont.

“It will have done him good to get the freshness out of him and it was an improvement on his debut and will have taught him something. We look forward to stepping him up in trip now and we will probably look at a trial, I suppose.

“The winner looks a cut above in terms of going a mile and you would like to think if we could make the same improvement as we did from a maiden going into a conditions race when going up in trip in preferred conditions, we could have a really smart horse hopefully.”

With the feeling Valvano has a preference for cut in the ground, weather conditions could dictate where he steps up in trip and although he holds an entry for the Betfred Derby, it could be the French equivalent at Chantilly that becomes a longer-term objective.

Elliott continued: “Ralph thinks from his pedigree he is going to want a little bit of rain and I think he is going to be ground dependent.

“On the bottom side of his pedigree there is a lot of stamina, being out of a Duke Of Marmalade mare. But Night Of Thunder doesn’t really get them to stay that far. Ten furlongs could be his optimum for now but I think Ralph is pretty confident the horse could stay even further.

“He’s in the Dante, but wherever the rain is, whether that is York or Chester or something like that, if that went to plan, we could look at going to France for the French Derby.

“We’ll see and it’s a long way away and for now it is nice to see him back and make the progression. Hopefully he can take another step forward next time.”

Fellow Valmont-owned three-year-old Feigning Madness could also put his Classic hopes to the test when he makes his return in trial action at either Epsom or Lingfield.

The son of Ulysses somewhat surprised his team when going unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old and as well as being a candidate for the Derby, the colt is also seen as a possible St Leger prospect for later in the campaign.

“He ran above expectation last year, he ran at Newbury first time and we thought he would be green, which he was, but we didn’t really expect him to do what he did,” continued Elliott.

“To then carry a penalty the way he did at Newmarket when the horse was on his head the whole way, you have to think the horse is going to stay super well.

“He’s going to come back in a trial and it will either be the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom or Lingfield. He has had two runs now and has learnt a lot. He is crying out for a step up in trip and we’re going to try to pick our easiest way to Epsom – if we can run well in a trial, then why not take a shot.

“He’s a well-balanced horse and his work has been good this year, which is pleasing everybody, and I think the further he goes, the better, so you could hopefully see him in something at Doncaster at the end of the season.”

Feigning Madness claimed the scalp of Ed Walker’s Harper’s Ferry on his second start and it was interesting to see another of the Valmont string, Moon Over Miami, also finish ahead of that rival when making a taking debut at Doncaster at the beginning of the Flat turf season.

As he is a gelding, Classic events are off the cards, but connections are keen to see the Kimpton Downs inmate continue his on-track education with a view to lining up at Royal Ascot in the summer.

“The time boys went crazy over Moon Over Miami but with him being a gelding, he can’t take in one of the trials so we will probably go for another novice with a penalty,” added Elliott.

“I think Ralph has his eye on something Greenham weekend – I think there is a 10 furlong novice there – and I guess we will be trying to get three runs into him before Royal Ascot.

“We’re just a little hamstrung with him being a gelding as to what we do next, but he’s exciting.”

Valvano followed in some illustrious hoofprints as he made an impressive start to his career in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Nottingham.

The top-class King Of Steel made a successful debut in a division of the the extended one-mile contest 12 months ago, while his St Leger-winning stablemate Eldar Eldarov was in the winner’s circle in 2021.

And while Valvano has a long way to go to scale those heights, the son of Night Of Thunder looks certain to go on to better things judged on this facile success in the hands of Hector Crouch.

Plenty was expected of the Ralph Beckett-trained youngster as an 8-11 favourite, but those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns as after moving to the lead entering the final furlong, Valvano fairly sprinted clear in the testing conditions to pull six lengths clear of his toiling rivals.

Beckett, who won a division of the race with subsequent Derby participant Artistic Star last year, said of his latest victor: “He’s a nice horse who loved the ground and it was a good effort.”

On whether he could run again this season, the trainer added: “We’ll see what happens next, he could.”

Crouch was clearly impressed by the performance, telling Racing TV: “He’s very raw. He made it look straightforward because he’s got a lot of natural ability, but he took a bit of managing and organising and he’s keen to get on with things.

“He ran a little bit green, but once we straightened up he’s very talented. Amongst all the greenness he’s very responsive and he’s keen to learn.

“I think he’s got a bit of a fiery streak in him and is not short of speed, so I wouldn’t be in a rush to step him up to a mile and a quarter in his immediate future, but I’m sure he will stay that far.”

Beckett completed a quickfire double with another newcomer in the following EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, with Treasure carrying the King and Queen’s colours to a clear-cut win under Ben Curtis.

“She was immaculately behaved and has a great mind. She was a little bit behind the bridle, it’s tough going out there, but she learnt as we went around,” said the jockey.

“She loved the ground and the further she went, the better she went.”

George Boughey’s Mr Alan (3-1 joint-favourite) landed the Watch Irish Racing On Racing TV Handicap for the second year in succession, pipping Belhaven by a nose under William Buick.

Hollie Doyle enjoyed a double on the card, booting home William Stone’s Tipsy Tiger (15-2) in the Join Racing TV Now Nursery and the Jack Channon-trained Desperate Hero in the Watch On Racing TV Handicap.