Ben Curtis made his first ride at Sandown a winning one when steering Nakuti to victory in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Atalanta Stakes.
The Sylvester Kirk-trained filly produced a career-best effort to claim a narrow success in the mile Group Three contest.
Having worked her way to the front after being given a patient ride, the four-year-old was forced to pull out all the stops on the climb up to the line.
Course and distance winner Black Cherry looked set to lay it down to the eventual winner, but her effort just fell short and it was left to Blond Me to mount the last challenge.
Although Andrew Balding's three-year-old finished to good effect, it was not enough to catch Nakuti, with the 12-1 shot taking victory by a neck.
Kirk said: "They went fast early on and she had no chance with that, so she had to sit and wait. That ground must be a bit dead as she loved it and really toughed it out.
"She has improved and got bigger and stronger as she has got older. I am thankful the owner kept her in training as they were going to send her off to stud at the end of her three-year-old career.
"We might go over to France with her now to try and get a bit of that soft ground."
Exosphere took the Kalaglow Handicap in the manner of a horse on the up.
Always travelling well in the hands of Ted Durcan, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt (13-2) hit the front two out and was two and a quarter lengths too good for favourite Mount Logan at the line.
Durcan said: "This is a horse Sir Michael has been very patient with. He won well at Doncaster in the spring. He went to Ascot, but he hated the heavy ground. He has been very slow to get it together, but it is starting to come together.
"Sir Michael excels with horses like this in letting them have every opportunity. Hopefully he is a nice horse in the making."
