Snow Sky gave Ryan Moore his first winner of the Dante meeting when edging out Brown Panther in the Betway Yorkshire Cup.
There were three in line with two furlongs to run as Romsdal led them, but Brown Panther and on the outside Snow Sky looked very threatening.
As John Gosden's Leger runner-up Romsdal weakened, Brown Panther took a narrow advantage but Moore had yet to ask for everything on the four-year-old, who was third at Doncaster last season.
Having won in Dubai, Brown Panther arrived on the crest of a wave but he was also carrying a 5lb penalty for his win in the Irish St Leger last season and in the final 100 yards the extra weight told, as Snow Sky (5-2) won by half a length for Michael Stoute.
Havana Beat stayed on stoutly, passing Romsdal to claim third.
Moore said: "They went quite steady, I just wanted to get him wound up and he picked up a lot sooner than I thought and he was in front too early.
"For his first run of the year he needed to tough it out and he did.
"He's been a little bit late getting going, so he's done well to win here early on."
Asked whether he would get the Gold Cup trip at Ascot, Moore said: "I wouldn't have thought so, no. Not two and a half (miles)."
Stoute said: "He had to dig deep, Ryan said he was in front a bit soon and he just looked about a bit, but I'm thrilled.
"I think a mile and six is his limit, and he's a very effective horse over a mile and a half.
"I think I'd like to finish up in Melbourne (Melbourne Cup), I think it would be worth throwing a dart.
"We need to stop and think how we are going to programme him now."
Trainer Tom Dascombe said of the gallant runner-up: "He's run a great race, it's disappointing to lose as it always is, but I'm proud of him.
"We gave the winner 5lb and he's only just been beaten.
"We'll carry on to Ascot (Gold Cup) as if nothing has happened."
Trainer Mark Johnston and jockey Silvestre De Sousa recorded a 2957-1 four-timer at York, courtesy of Mark Delizia (11-2), Notarised (9-1), Indescribable (12-1) and Yorkidding (5-2F)
Part-owner Michael Owen said: "We're thrilled, the penalty has just cost him in the end, The winner won on merit, he was given a great ride and is trained by a great trainer so he's lost nothing in defeat.”
Delizia was similarly impressive in the Langleys Solicitors EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes but, rather surprisingly, she will not head to the Royal fixture.
Mark Johnston's filly (11-2) was a length and a half too sharp for the smooth-travelling Silk Bow under Silvestre de Sousa.
York has, in recent years, hardly been a potent source of winners for Johnston, but he ended the three days in great style.
Thirty minutes after Delizia had struck in the Marygate, the Middleham handler and De Sousa returned to the winner's enclosure when the fragile Notarised (9-1) cut loose in the Betway Jorvik Stakes.
Indescribable made it three for the same partnership when the 12-1 chance outflanked Bowson Fred by three-quarters of a length in the Ralph Raper Memorial Stakes.
Johnston missed the effort of Indescribable as he had flown off to Hamilton's evening meeting.
The trainer's wife and assistant, Deirdre, said: "They've had perfect ground all week - they've not needed to water or anything like that - and that's made the difference."
A terrific afternoon for the potent Johnston-De Sousa link was rounded off with the victory of 5-2 favourite Yorkidding in the Constant Security Stakes.
There was not such good news for rider Jack Garrity, however, who was taken to York District Hospital with a shoulder injury after being unshipped from Sir Chauvelin on the way to the start.
Fellow North Yorkshire trainer Richard Fahey got in on the winning act when Dusky Queen (7-2 favourite) won back-to-back renewals of the EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Frank Whittle Partnership Stakes.
