THURSDAY saw Salisbury host a high-class meeting where the two year olds came to the fore on a day that looks to have provided some future stars.

The card opened with a select field of five contesting the Lester Brunt Wealth Management EBF Stallions Novice Stakes which went the way of favourite Salouen.

Tom Marquand came in for the ride late and was rewarded with a comfortable winner, despite a brief battle down the straight with runner-up Sea Fox. Salouen will undoubtedly now step back up to Listed/Group level for Sylvester Kirk who, prior to Thursday, had saddled Salouen to a 2nd place finish in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown.

Princess Way gained compensation in the Irish Yearling Sales Nursery Handicap Stakes for her narrow defeat at Lingfield Park less than 24 hours earlier for John Egan and David Evans before racegoers were treated to two highly promising performances in both divisions of the Virginia Walwyn Memorial EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies'.

The first of these performances came from Salisbury's leading trainer for 2016, Andrew Balding, as Poet's Vanity streaked to a 10-length success under Oisin Murphy to provide her trainer with his 1,000th British winner. Poet's Vanity's performance was quite possibly the easiest win of the year at Salisbury and, despite not holding any future entries currently, Balding's charge looks certain to step up into Group level and is definitely a horse to keep an eye on.

The following division was won in a similarly impressive manner by Marcus Tregonning's Argenterie who, despite not winning by 10 lengths, was equally as potent as Poet's Vanity, effortlessly scoring by three-and-a-quarter lengths for Martin Dwyer.

The Group 3 feature Bathwick Tyres Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes provided Tom Queally with his first of two wins on the card as Madam Dancealot, who was well supported before the off, landed the feature under an enterprising ride from the front end.

Gary Moore's Rydan provided Queally with the 2nd leg of his double in the Bathwick Tyres Handicap following Newmarket raider Gravity Flow's cosy win in the preceding EBF Stallions Breeding Winners 'Lochsong' Fillies' Stakes for Pat Cosgrave and William Haggas.

The card was rounded off with victory for another Newmarket raider, in the shape of Sir Mark Prescott, who saddled Ocean Ready to victory in the final race of the apprentice series.

Salisbury race again on Friday, first race (4.45pm).