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Friendly Soul provided trainers John and Thady Gosden with their seventh Pretty Polly success in the last eleven years when a cosy winner of Newmarket's opener on 1000 Guineas Day.
The daughter of Kingman made a smooth winning debut on the all-weather at Kempton in December and proved the switch to turf poses no problems when fending off warm market leader Kalpana in the closing stages.
Always towards the fore under Gosden's new first choice jockey Kieran Shoemark, it quickly became apparent the opening Listed prize was developing into a two-horse race, as 4/6 favourite Kalpana attempted to lay down her challenge under Oisin Murphy.
However, the George Strawbridge-owned filly continued to find plenty for pressure and eventually drew clear for a snug one-and-three-quarter length triumph.
There was a mammoth twelve-length gap to the third-placed horse Kitteridge.
The Pretty Polly Stakes often provides clues for the Betfred Oaks, but joint trainers John and Thady Gosden have not given her an entry in the Epsom Downs showpiece next month.
John Gosden said: "I think it was a good race. Our other filly (Strutting) was fourth – I think she is more of a staying filly.
"I was impressed with the second when she won here at the Craven Meeting. I think it was a solid race today as the front two drew away from the field.
"She is a lovely filly and I think she is a mile and a quarter filly. She won't be an Epsom filly, but we might make a visit to Chantilly (for the French Oaks)."
Shoemark is in his first season as the number-one jockey at Gosden's Clarehaven Stables after Frankie Dettori's move to the US.
With Frankie Dettori departing on his US adventure this season, Kieran Shoemark has stepped up to the plate of number one jockey at Clarehaven Stables and Gosden senior was full of praise for the talented rider. "He is a very talented rider with superb hands and is a good judge," said John Gosden. "He is bright, intelligent and a proper horseman."
"We've had a slow spring as it's been wet and cold, so I haven't been in a hurry with the horses. We hope May is the time when they really start coming to themselves."
