SO how good is she? Evidently, above average, that's for sure. All horses run fast past trees but there was a real touch of class as French import Montauk Point readily disposed of a poor field in the seven furlong maiden at Salisbury last night (Sat).

The 200,000 euro yearling purchase joined the Manton yard of father and son Martyn and Freddie Meade after finishing second in a Polytrack maiden at Deauville just before Christmas and had been off the track for seven months. Neither of the joint trainers was at the meeting, Salisbury low in their priorities on a crowded national programme, to talk of future plans but the weakly contested race can only serve as a stepping stone to better class. 

"It wasn't the best of races," jockey George Wood conceded of his armchair ride. "They went steady early on but she quickened when the gap appeared and won it nicely. If something had got nearer, I have no doubt she would have gone away even further."

Hot Fuss it was on the course, unlike the conditions off it as an unseasonal cold wind blighted Ladies Night, the track's most popular event of the year but at least the threatened downpours failed to materialise.

Hot Fuss delivered as his form and odds suggested. The creditable fifth in the highly competitive Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last month ran home a five and a half lengths winner but that doesn't tell the story. 

Liam Keniry used his experience to keep it simple. Smartly out of the stalls, he led the field at a steady pace and at half way most of the others runners were beaten but the debutant Cool Dividend was more resolute as the race developed into a match. Two and a half furlongs out, a real shock appeared on the cards as he headed the favourite for a few strides, but the further they went, the more Hot Fuss relished it and he came right away in the final 100 yards as Cool Dividend noticeably tired.

Jockey Iam Keniry confirmed the Calyx colt wasn't enjoying the ground transformed from good to firm to soft, soft in places by rain, torrential at times, on Friday, and needed a step up in trip.

On the face of it, Beau Jardine appeared to be just making up the numbers in the six-furlong apprentice race. Since switching to the north Hampshire yard of Rachel Cook and John Bridger, the five-year-old had been unplaced it its 11 starts, but the application of blinkers evidently galvanised him to run out a comfortable winner. Someone knew something as the horse was backed in from 20/1 to a quarter of those odds to give Shariq Mohd his fifth winner of his burgeoning career.

Mohd, who only gained his first success in Britain in April after moving from his native India seven years ago, said: "He started slowly but after 50 yards I managed to get him into position, and he quickened when I asked him for his effort two furlongs out."

And on the dedicated evening, could there have been a more appropriate winner than La Isla Mujeres which translated into English means 'Isle of Women...'