Race favourite Maid Of Steel justified her strong support when she led all the way to capture the Coastwood Homes Lockwood Thames Cup (2000m).

Ridden a treat by apprentice Jordan Nason, the bonny grey mare bowled along at the head of affairs as her five rivals left her alone in front. Things started to get serious as the small field thundered towards the home turn with the majority fanning wide to make their challenge.

Nason was cool, calm and collected as he asked the mare to quicken and she responded gamely as the threats came. Breaking Dawn and the late finishing Sierra Beel both looked likely but Maid Of Steel pulled out plenty as she staved the pair off to score by just on a length.

The win made it three in a row for the Guillotine mare who has now won seven of her 24 career starts.

“It was a good ride by Jordan as he took the pace right out of the race,” acknowledged Wayne Pike, who was representing his son on the day.

“He didn’t go hard on her and they set it up for him really.”

Pike acknowledged there was an element of good fortune in the victory after the racemeeting was postponed from earlier in the week.

“It was lucky there was a break as we weren’t going to come,” he said.

“She’s had two weeks between races which was great. She’s a good little mare.”