Ibn Malik made all the running to claim the CSP European Free Handicap at Newmarket as the 3-1 joint-favourite.
Gelded after a juvenile campaign that saw him placed in three Group races, the Charlie Hills-trained three-year-old used his long stride to good effect to take the Listed contest.
Paul Hanagan simply had to keep Ibn Malik up to his work to see off the persistent challenge of Scrutineer by two lengths.
Great Page was third.
The big disappointment of the race was Tom Dascombe's previously unbeaten Kachy, who pulled hard early and was the first beaten.
Hills said: "He got a bit tired on that ground, but Paul gave him a lovely ride.
"There were a lot of fast sorts in the race and I didn't want him to get done for speed early on as we knew he'd get the trip well.
"He had an issue after his last run last year and he went back to Shadwell (Stud). He had couple of little issues. They were sorted and I couldn't be happier with him.
"It was only January/February time he was gelded and he's only been back with us five or six weeks. It was a great team effort.
"We'll have a look a the King Charles II Stakes back here next and then probably go for the Jersey (at Royal Ascot).
Scrutineer's trainer Mick Channon said: "He's been a consistent little horse apart from his last run last year when we made a bit of a mess of it.
"We won't make any plans yet, but I'd have thought we'd stick to six and seven furlongs and he'll go on any ground."
Doubts over the ability of Mahsoob to cut it at Group race level were firmly erased following his resolute success in the Weatherbys General Stud Book Earl of Sefton Stakes.
Although failing to make any impact in either the Princess of Wales's Stakes or the Strensall Stakes on his final two starts having completed a hat-trick of handicap wins in the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot, the five-year-old returned to winning ways on his return to action.
Travelling strongly in behind the early pace set by favourite Air Pilot the 100-30 chance picked up well inside the final furlong of the one-mile-one furlong Group Three event before obliging by a length and a quarter to complete Hanagan's brace.
John Gosden, winning trainer, said: ""He getting quicker with age and I'm delighted with him.
"He's been training nicely at home and doing everything on his own.
"He's been breezing away at home and is a happy horse.
"We won at Royal Ascot last year but lost his form after that. He's had a good winter and I wouldn't mind bringing him back a furlong."
Hugo Palmer nominated a return to the track next month for Gifted Master (1-2 favourite) following his front running success in the £100,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Sprint ahead of an outing at Royal Ascot.
Despite still showing his temperamental side before the race, the three-year-old gelding had little trouble in seeing off his rivals by three-and-a-half lengths to complete a double for Pat Smullen and plunder a fourth straight success.
He said: "We will probably come back here now for the King Charles II Stakes in May on route to the Jersey. He is not ground dependant as he has won on rattling quick ground and dead ground.
"He is a very exciting horse and hopefully he will be a flagbearer for seasons to come."
Williams Haggas refused to get carried away by the winning debut of Sky Kingdom (3-1 favourite), who kick started Smullen's brace in the Celebrating 350 Years of Making History Wood Ditton Stakes, despite receiving quotes between 33-1 and 40-1 for the Investec Derby.
He said: "I guess having won we'll step him up in trip and come back here at the Guineas meeting for the Listed race (Newmarket Stakes). I think that would be the sensible thing.
"As with all trainers at this time of year, we will take it one step at a time."
While there were plenty of Classic clues on offer, Sutter County (4-9) bolstered his chances of making an appearance at Royal Ascot with a head win in the Ben Burgess & Co EBF Novice Stakes.
Winning trainer Mark Johnston said: "Even before the race we had some concerns about the ground with him not having run on it.
"I would like to think he is a lot better than that on fast ground. He will have one more run on fast ground then the plan will be to go to Royal Ascot."
Twelve months after landing the Julian Wilson Memorial Maiden Stakes with Global Force, trainer Saeed Bin Suroor celebrated another success in the race after Winning Story (13-2) made a winning debut in the mile and a quarter event, while the concluding Turf TV Handicap went the way of the Kevin Ryan-trained Brando (2-1 favourite).
