JEFF Smith, chairman of Salisbury Racecourse, enjoyed one of his greatest moments as an owner when Alcohol Free won the leading juvenile fillies race of the season at Newmarket on Saturday.

"I am chuffed, absolutely chuffed," he confessed after watching the two-year-old cling on tenaciously to land the £125,000 Cheveley Park Stakes which is invariably a major pointer to next season's classic prospects.

Smith, recovering from a broken rib, watched the drama unfold from the warmth of his Hursley home instead of the unseasonally cold racecourse.

Praising champion jockey Oisin Murphy's tactics in dominating from the front, Smith explained: "He was very worried there would be no pace and he wasn't going to take any chances as he might get boxed in or not get a clear run."

Alcohol Free, now retired for the season, will possibly have one prep run prior to returning to the Rowley Mile for the 1,000 Guineas next May for which she is quoted a 20/1 shot.

Smith, a racehorse owner for some 45 years and chairman of his local track since 2008, has relished Group One success before with the legendary sprinter Lochsong and Arabian Queen, winner of the 2015 Juddmonte at York, and is perfectly positioned to hold a high opinion of the bay who was only having her third run, having won stylishly on her debut at Newbury and was then drawn on the unfavourable outside in Salisbury's Dick Poole Stakes this month when narrowly beaten by Happy Romance who could only finish fourth in today's clash.

"She's good, very good," he stressed. "I think she was the best horse in the race. It's tough to win a race a Group One front the front and she did it in style."

Ironically, Alcohol Free could have missed the race. She was better bred for the seven furlong Rockfel Stakes on yesterday's card but that race is only a Group Two affair and Smith believed she deserved her place in today's more prestigious line up.

Murphy also could not disguise his admiration for her.

"I love this filly. I think she will be a better three-year-old. She has been working with ordinary ones as she is quite generous at home and Andrew Balding (her trainer) and the groom have done a top job making her. I am so thrilled for Jeff."

And the success was clearly etched on Balding's face afterwards.

"She worked very well last week and we were pretty confident. We had the option of the Rockfel but Jeff was keen going for this Group One and he was right.

"We took her to the races at Newbury not knowing what to expect. She won easily then and the next logical step was the Dick Poole and she showed enough to warrant coming here. Oisin did a fantastic job. Just for the yard it's fantastic and I cannot tell you how much a thrill that was getting a Group One for Jeff. He has been with us a long time with dad (Ian Balding) and has been a big supporter of ours."