At this time of year Newmarket's vast expanse represents a field of untold dreams. Most vanish in the blink of an eye but the glint in those of John Gosden yesterday told of a fruitful harvest. Having opened the card by unveiling a dark horse for the Derby, the Newmarket trainer loosed Infallible to vault to the front of betting for the stanjamesuk.com 1,000 Guineas.

Gosden also threw an outsider into the 2,000 Guineas mix when Virtual landed the seven-furlong maiden. And his cup runneth over when Prohibit hoisted the four-timer at cumulative odds of 1,785-1. But it was Infallible who made the adrenalin flow.

She looked inappositely named as she fell from the stalls to give 13 opponents a head start. Yet Jimmy Fortune appeared unperturbed as he weighed his options from the rear. A sedate gallop compromised his prospects of retrieving the deficit, but when he finally unleashed Infallible, the filly advanced with relish.

So much so that Fortune was able to ease down well before the line to win by three and a half lengths from Kylayne. Festivale toiled a further three lengths back in third to give John Dunlop, who also trains a fancied 1,000 Guineas candidate in Muthabara, plenty of food for thought.

Two days earlier Dunlop had seen Natagora come through her trial in France with aplomb. While obviously delighted with Infallible, Gosden concurred that the grey remains the one to beat back here on May 4. “I like mine a lot but she'll have to be good to take on Natagora,” he said.

While bookmakers fought shy of Infallible - Coral quote her as low as 3-1 for the fillies' classic - others questioned the detail that Kylayne, a 66-1 chance, finished second. That seems a dubious tack; something had to chase Infallible home even if none was remotely capable of stretching her.

Given that Gosden declared Infallible to be only 80 per cent fit, her performance fully warrants rave reviews. Paddock inspection revealed a filly radiating good health, yet still without a discernible rib. “She will come on for it,” the trainer said. “She has consistently pleased in her work this year but she has never come off the bridle.”

The sole caveat over Infallible concerns the ground; both yesterday and for her maiden triumph in October, the surface was easy enough. “Like most by Pivotal, she will be fine on good ground,” Godsen said, “but if it is fast it will not be in her favour.”

The day started portentously for the Clarehaven handler when he saddled Pampas Cat to land the ten-furlong maiden in taking style. Winning odds of 20-1 did not reflect any lack of confidence, however, since Pampas Cat had been pleasing at home.

“He is the fittest horse in the yard - about 95 per cent,” Gosden said. “He stays well and Jimmy []told me afterwards that he should step up, so we'll have a go in the Chester Vase.”

Campanologist is another with Derby ambitions, albeit by a different route, a trial at either Sandown or Lingfield. The Kingmambo colt had a fitness advantage over Kandahar Run in the nine-furlong Tuddenham Mill Feilden Stakes, and it was required for the bay to resist Henry Cecil's big hope in a close finish.

So much about this Craven meeting is about making snap judgments about inexperienced horses and Hugh Morrison, who saddled Stimulation to win the Free Handicap, took the view that his colt does nothing when he hits the front. However, this he did only in the final stride to deny Fat Boy.

Fat Boy looked sure to prevail until his fast ancestry betrayed him. Stimulation is of similar heritage; it may be that he, too, found the seventh furlong stretching his natural speed. Morrison intends to find out in the 2,000 Guineas, for which bookmakers quote him at 33-1. If the dream dangles by a thread for Morrison, it beckons Gosden like a shimmering rainbow.