Night Raider appeared to come of age on the Rowley Mile with an impressive victory in the HKJC World Pool Palace House Stakes.
The Karl Burke-trained son of Dark Angel is owned by Wathnan Racing and has always been well regarded, but his last win came in 2024 and he was gelded over the winter.
The procedure seemed to have done him the world of good as he handled the preliminaries at Newmarket calmly, and after breaking neatly from the stalls he dashed to a half-length victory at 9-1, with the market leader, last year's winner Rumstar, half a length behind him.
"We tried to turn him into a miler, but he was just too keen, too free and too fractious," said Burke.
"Gelding him has really made a man of him - in a perverse sort of way! He's 10 kilos lighter than he was last year and he looked tremendous in the paddock.
"I knew if he jumped quick and got in a lovely rhythm he'd handle the undulations and he did.
"He was fractious in the stalls last year as a full horse and I think gelding him has calmed him down.
"He's been working really nicely, he does a lot of his work on his own as he's a horse you don't need to buzz up and work him with other horses. That was a great result, Richard Brown from Wathan will be delighted because he's had huge faith in him."
Burke added: "I would think we'd go to Ascot (King Charles III Stakes), he is in the York race (Minster Stakes) but it might come too quick.
"I think he will stay six (furlongs) and it will be interesting to see what James (Doyle) says, but I wouldn't have thought we'd turn him round that quick."
Also looking ahead to the Royal meeting is Jonathan Portman after 7-2 favourite Rumstar narrowly failed to defend his Palace House crown.
Portman said: "He's run a blinder and every bit as well as when he won it. It was a shame he had to come over and he had a good spot on the far side, but I'm very proud of him.
"It's lovely to see him back and running a big race and yes it's gutting he didn't win but he loves this track. He loves a stiff five furlongs and an easy five is a bit sharp for him, while six furlongs is not ideal.
"We'll look towards Ascot now and see, there's very few options and the owners don't like travelling which limits things a little. But I'm very proud to have him and he's a special horse."
A lack of match fitness was put forward as the reason for Australian speedster Asfoora's disappointing performance.
Lemos De Souza, who is temporarily overseeing the training of the Royal Ascot and Nunthorpe winner for Henry Dwyer, is expecting the popular overseas visitor to peak in her next outing.
Souza said: "Oisin (Murphy) said she blew up and as we've seen before she takes a couple of races to get fully fit.
"I think over an easy five furlongs she could have got a place, but here is a stiff five and if you are not 100 per cent fit it will catch you out.
"I personally think the easier the five furlongs it is the better she is, but she does need to be fit. On form she was the best horse in the race, but she needed to be fit to run to her true form.
"Hopefully we can roll into Haydock (Temple Stakes) now which will be right up her street and I think she will show her best there."
There was a red-letter victory for local handler T J Kent with Erzindjan landing the Betfred Suffolk Stakes.
Fourth in the Cambridgeshire in the autumn, the eight-year-old was sent off at 17-2 in the hands of Ray Dawson and came home powerfully to seal a half-length success over John and Thady Gosden's Fifth Column.
It was a victory that cements the winner's position as a real star for Kent's fledgling operation, with further big Saturday success set to come on the radar.
He said: "He ran very well in the Cambridgeshire and John Smith's (Cup) last year and I'm a lover of York so do enjoy going there if I can.
"His form had been outstanding, not just with me but with his trainer in Dubai as well, so we thought if he ran up to that level we would have a live chance.
"Ray gave him a great ride. It's nice to have a winner on this day and hopefully it shows we are going in the right direction.
"As a trainer obviously this is right up there with my biggest wins. Saturday winners are what any trainer wants and we've had a winner at the Shergar Cup and other decent animals, but hopefully this proves if we're getting nice horses sent to us, as a team we can do the job.
"I'll speak to his owner and draw up a plan, but races like the John Smith's Cup again could be on the agenda. We'll have a chat and take it from there."
Andrew Balding enjoyed an early double at Newmarket on 2000 Guineas day, with both Flora Of Bermuda and Double Rush shining on the Rowley Mile.
It was Flora Of Bermuda who kicked things off in the Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes, wearing down Rosy Affair in the nick of time.
The consistent performer was dropping to Listed level for her return to action having campaigned at the highest level throughout last season and was sent off at 7-2 in the hands of James Doyle.
It looked like the six-furlong event was heading the way of George Boughey's Rosy Affair as she made a bold bid from the head of affairs, but the Wathnan Racing number one conjured up a fine finishing effort from his mount to register a head verdict over the brave front-runner.
Balding said: "She's deserved that, she's so versatile in terms of ground and conditions and it was great to see her get head in front again - it tees us up nicely for the rest of the year.
"I was worried George's horse had nicked it from the front, but it was a brilliant ride from James and he timed it just right.
"I'd hope she will improve through the year and she's got to keep having a go at all the big races and hopefully get the luck."
The winner was cut to 16-1 from 20s by bookmakers for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Balding added: "I think we'll be straight to Ascot now what with the brief for Wathnan horses so we'll look forward to that."
The Kingsclere handler soon struck again when 4-6 favourite Double Rush followed up his convincing win over track and trip last month in fine style under Shane Foley in the Betfred Handicap.
"He's a very nice and that all went smoothly, he did it very well," said Balding.
"This was very much the plan after last time, it was early closing (entries) and we were well in.
"It's an important meeting to have winners at and the team were very keen to run him.
"The field had cut up a fair bit and I'm thrilled with the way he did it. Quite possibly he'll go for a Group race next."
