Frederik Tylicki gave a polished performance when making virtually all the running on the game Flying Clarets in the John Smith's Cup at York.
The 22-year-old German-born claimer, who spent six years in Ireland with Dermot Weld and Jim Bolger before joining Richard Fahey in January, helped the mare go one better than 12 months ago to give the trainer back-to-back victories.
Flying Clarets (12-1) was runner-up to her stablemate Charlie Tokyo last July but that rival was only sixth this time as the five-year-old defied a 5lb penalty for a recent win at Hamilton in gutsy fashion.
Pushing her to the front early on, Tylicki kicked for home as soon as they hit the long straight and his partner had enough left to hold Eradicate (20-1) by a length and three-quarters.
Ezdiyaad (9-2) was another neck away third, with Prince Forever (20-1) fourth.
‘I made all the running and saved as much as I could and as soon as we turned into the straight I made a move, stretched her and she kept finding more and more for me,’ said Tylicki.
‘She's battled on all the way to the line, she's so genuine.
‘It's a pleasure to ride her and it's a big thanks to Mr Fahey and the owners for putting me on the filly.
‘I've been with the boss since the end of January and it's been an absolute pleasure to work for him.
‘From day one I've felt like a member of the whole team.’
An amazed Fahey, who ran five in the race, added: ‘I can't believe she's won a John Smith's Cup off a mark of 105, but she's done it.
‘We took 7lb off with Freddy and he gave her a great ride and everything went right - she loves this track.
‘She's an unbelievable mare. She's meant to be going to the sales at the end of the year, but I'm getting to that stage of my life where I need horses like her.
‘She's definitely getting better with age so we might give her a rethink.’
It was also a red-letter day for another apprentice Bradley Roper, 18, who repaid Mick Easterby's faith in him with a thrilling victory on Blue Spinnaker in the John Smith's Fence Gate Inn Handicap.
He brought the nine-year-old with a perfectly-timed run to head Violent Velocity in the closing stages and win by three-quarters of a length.
It was Blue Spinnaker's 24th appearance on the Knavesmire but only his second win on the track to match Roper's career tally.
‘I've only been with Mick four months and he's been absolutely brilliant,’ said Roper, who had his first ride when he was 16 and previously worked for William Jarvis, Neville Callaghan and David Lanigan.
‘I was at Newmarket, things weren't going right, I was getting distracted and I needed to move away.
‘I worked hard, got my head down, and things couldn't have gone any better working for Mick.
‘He's given me plenty of rides and it's nice to ride him a winner.’
Yellowstone, formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien, returned to his best form to take the John Smith's Extra Smooth Silver Cup for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and jockey John Egan.
That combination won the 2006 Ebor with 100-1 shot Mudawin and the big handicap over this course and distance is one of many options open to the four-year-old - along with the Melbourne Cup and the Irish St Leger.
Last season's Gordon Stakes and Great Voltigeur runner-up withheld Gull Wing by half a length after a titanic tussle.
‘I've had it in the back of my mind that one mile and six was his trip,’ revealed Chapple-Hyam.
‘He's in the Irish St Leger, I'll put him in the Melbourne Cup and he's also in the Ebor.
‘But I wouldn't mind coming back here again after winning it with Mudawin.’
Robert Winston came fast and late on Zomerlust to claim the John Smith's Extra Cold Handicap.
The 4-1 favourite was compensating John Quinn for the narrow defeat of Violent Velocity in Blue Spinnaker's race - and completed a quick double for the trainer after Blythe Knight's win at Chester minutes earlier.
‘He's a lazy horse but he relished the ground,’ said Winston.
‘He knows where the winning line is, but he just needs a bit of persuading to do the job - and the stable's in form.
Zomerlust's one-length verdict over Kaldoun Kingdom earned him a 33-1 quote (from 40-1s) from totesport for the Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood.
