Nemoralia produced a decisive turn of foot to run out a convincing winner of the City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Birchwood and Glen Moss set a ferocious pace, with Nemoralia well covered up until they were swamped at the business end of the seven-furlong affair.
Switched towards the far rail by Jamie Spencer, the 15-8 favourite quickly found the several lengths needed to hit the front.
Getting first run on her market rivals, the Jeremy Noseda-trained filly scampered clear to win by a length and three-quarters from So Beloved.
Jallota was third with Librisa Breeze saying on for fourth after being outpaced in the early stages.
Spencer said: "She was really impressive, she wants a mile but Jeremy wanted to run her in a race she could win. She has one sustained run - most horses can quicken for a bit, but she can quicken for a long way.
"She's a real firm ground filly, she's just been unfortunate with the weather this year."
Noseda said: "The rain wasn't going to make any difference to this ground. They were just going to flick the top off it. I had no real concern about that.
"She was in good form and she was as Group One filly dropping back into Group Three company. She's done what she should do and I'm delighted to see her do it.
"She had a hard race at Royal Ascot (second in Coronation Stakes) and ran a bit flat in France."
He went on: "She won't go to Ireland (Matron Stakes). The Park Stakes at Doncaster will possibly be next and then we'll head to America and look at the Queen Elizabeth for three-year-old fillies on October 14 in Keeneland.
"We've got the choice of races at the Breeders' Cup. We'll keep moving forward now. It was nice to get her back winning."
Steve Barker, spokesman for So Beloved's owners, Sprint Thoroughbred Racing, said: "We had the perfect ground, the perfect trip and the race was run to suit us but the other horse just went by us like the Group One filly she is.
"We'll probably go to Goodwood next for the race he won last year (Supreme Stakes) because he wouldn't have a penalty.
"At the end of the year he'll go for the Foret, there aren't many options for seven-furlong horses."
