Xaar's Sagitta 2,000 Guineas challenge remained firmly on course after he repelled Gulland to win the City Index Craven Stakes at Newmarket yesterday. He reassured trainer Andre Fabre that he still handles the outstanding candidate for the Classic two weeks on Saturday with a satisfactory comeback victory.

The 8 to 11 favourite yesterday, Xaar was the first to be ridden as Michael Hills stepped up the pace on Gulland from his position at the head of the field at halfway.

But once Olivier Peslier took him to the wide outside, he gradually picked up the tempo to edge past the battling Gulland inside the final furlong to earn a neck success.

The pair pulled five lengths away from Circus, who ran an excellent third for Clive Brittain, with Princely Heir fourth and Daggers Drawn fifth.

Xaar is now an odds-on favourite for the 2,000 Guineas in which he will bid to emulate his sire Zafonic, a runaway winner of the Classic five years ago.

He is 4 to 5 with William Hill, 8 to 11 with Coral and 4 to 6 with the Tote but still available at evens with Ladbrokes who have King Of Kings next on 9 to 2.

But, according to Fabre, Xaar and Zafonic are totally different and yesterday's prep run, even on soft ground, will have done his latest candidate a lot of good.

"Zafonic was a huge powerful, hard-pulling horse and Xaar is the complete opposite. He is lazy and sleepy and this race will make a big difference to him," he said.

"I am more relieved than excited. I was fearing the ground very much and because it was his first race and a new world. It's been a worrying three months.

"But I thought he was always controlling Gulland and inside myself I thought Xaar couldn't be beaten. His style of racing pleased me. Every time he was asked he quickened. He's had an easy race.

"I hope we have a sunny period and the ground dries up although I would prefer an extra week. Two weeks between races is a bit short.

"I didn't want him to have a hard race and I respect the second. But he will have to improve to win the Guineas. This was probably not top class form."

Peslier found Xaar more laid back than he was last season when he captured the Dewhurst Stakes in such awesome fashion.

"He is a bit lazy, more relaxed than last year and for a few moments I didn't think he would come to win, but in the last two furlongs he was just galloping," he said.

"It was not hard work but very good work. Everyone is happy with the horse and I hope he will come back and win the 2,000 Guineas."

However a re-match with Gulland is unlikely because trainer Geoff Wragg is training him for the Vodafone Derby, for which he is now pressing Second Empire for favouritism.

This spring Alex Ferguson's sideboard will have a trophy in it after all as Queensland Star made a winning debut at Newmarket yesterday.

Queensland Star looked like being passed by Bodfari Muka as the pair entered the final furlong. But the Jack Berry-trained 5 to 4 favourite stuck to his task close home for a length-and-three-quarter win.

Asked to compare the stress levels of managership and owner- ship, the Manchester United manager said: "It's entirely different. One is my job, and one's a hobby. But it's very exciting."