Richard Hills has few peers when allowed to dictate from the front and he rode his rivals to sleep on Fareer in the totesport 0800 221 221 Hambleton (Listed) Handicap at York.
Ed Dunlop's four-year-old has only been seen once since landing the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot, but he was not totally disgraced when less than 10 lengths behind Lockinge favourite Paco Boy.
It was a bit of a giveaway that he holds entries in the Queen Anne Stakes, Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Coral-Eclipse yet despite a morning gamble he still went off at 11-2 and beat Rainbow Peak by a head.
The trainer said: "I'm very pleased with that. He was very fresh at Sandown first time out, but it was his first run for a very long time. He's got some very smart entries at Ascot and can only get better."
Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan have dominated on the Knavesmire in recent seasons and notched up their first York winners of 2010 through Johannes and Rose Blossom.
After Johannes (11-1) collared Jaconet in the totepool Flexi Betting Handicap, Fahey said: "That was grand and he'll probably head for the Stewards' Cup now. He won the consolation race last year and when a horse shows you they act at Goodwood, you tend to go back."
Rose Blossom (8-1) has always had a tall reputation and the penny might finally be dropping after she made every yard of the running dropped back to five furlongs in the EBF Conditions Stakes.
The trainer went on: "I'm mad about this filly. She works like a really good one at home, but so far she's been totally different at the races. There is a fillies' Group Three at Leopardstown we might have a look at next."
The dogs had been barking the name of Michael Jarvis's Elzaam (2-1 favourite) for the Stratford Place Stud For Royal Ascot 2YOs EBF Maiden and he made nearly every yard under Hills, booking his ticket for Royal Ascot.
Cheltenham Festival form proved its worth in the Investec Handicap as Micky Hammond's Hollins (9-1), not beaten far in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, ran out an impressive six-length winner in the hands of Freddie Tylicki.
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