RACING/News: Henry Cecil is sensing a return to the Classic arena despite seeing one of his candidates for the Vodafone Oaks, Protectress, beaten into second on her return at Newbury yesterday.

Protectress was quoted as low as 10 to 1 for the Epsom classic after staying on stoutly to finish length and a quarter behind Geoff Wragg's progressive Monturani in the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes over a mile and two furlongs.

The winner is not engaged at Epsom, but that did not deter Cecil, who maintained that the best is yet to come from Protectress and revealed that Java, whose reputation was dented with her defeat on her debut, is back in Classic contention.

"Protectress has taken a long time to come to herself and I had to give her a race to get the adrenaline going," said Cecil. "She was a bit fresh and free and whether she is an Oaks or Ribblesdale filly we'll have to wait and see.

"If there'd been another furlong today she might have won. I'm very pleased and you haven't seen the best of her yet." Ladbrokes produced the most flattering Epsom quote for Protectress, trimming her from 12 to 1 to 10 to 1, while Paddy Power, at 14 to1, are biggest.

Cecil also announced that Java would run in a maiden at Haydock next Friday.