Fast-improving sprinter Waady swooped late to emerge victorious in the Coral Charge at Sandown.
With exciting mare Mecca's Angel a non-runner on account of the ground, the John Gosden-trained Waady was the 5-2 favourite for this Group Three contest, his first appearance against his elders.
Supporters of the market leader had plenty of scares, with the three-year-old lathered in sweat beforehand and he endured a troubled passage through the race itself. However, once switched wide by Paul Hanagan in the last of five furlongs, Waady showed off his acceleration to get to the lead and clinch his fourth course victory from as many starts.
Wind Fire was beaten half a length into second and can be counted a little unlucky, having met plenty of trouble in running herself. Spirit Quartz was a couple of lengths further back in third.
Hanagan said: "He loves Sandown. My saddle has gone way back and every time I moved it shifted under me. It's quite lucky it stayed on.
"It's very rough over five furlongs here, so I kind of expected it.
"You need a bit of luck with him as if he's up there in the firing line, he might just do too much.
"If he wasn't dripping with sweat there'd be something wrong - that's just him. He likes to get on with it."
Gosden said: "He's taken on the older horses on his home turf. I think I should probably stable him at Sandown! He loves this track - he's run here and won four times.
"He's put in a good performance, having had trouble in running. I couldn't be more pleased with the horse. He's going the right way."
Paddy Power make Waady a 14-1 shot (from 20-1) for next month's Nunthorpe at York and a trip to the Knavesmire could be on the agenda.
"I think you've got to consider that (Nunthorpe). He's won a Group Three, I know that's a Group One which is a titanic leap, but you've got to consider it," said the trainer.
"He came out of a breeze-up sale, which is not necessarily the perfect education for a young horse - touch turf and go as fast as you can for two furlongs. The shortest we run over is five furlongs, so two isn't a lot of good to you.
"He seems to have overcome that and he likes his Japanese blindfold, which is nice on a day like this."
Oisin Murphy, rider of Wind Fire, was banned for nine days (July 18-26 inclusive) after the stewards found him guilty of careless riding.
