Victory came in rather more dramatic fashion for Santando, who finished strongly to get up in the last strides and beat Cruise Director by a neck with Carrowdore three-quarters of a length away in third in the Real Radio Handicap.

Fallon said: “I‘ve had 11 winners on the all-weather but it‘s nice to get off the mark on the first day of the turf season. That‘s what counts as far as the championship is concerned.

“It will be a good race again I‘m sure. Richard Hughes has the backing of Khalid Abdullah, who has a lot of good horses spread around a lot trainers and that‘s a big plus when you think the virus could strike any stable.

“But I have plenty of nice horses to ride too and to be fair Dandoun was better class than those he met today, although when you ride the best horse in a race you must make the most of it because there are plenty of times when you won’t be on the best.”

Dandoun is owned by Prince Faisal, whose racing manager Johnny Lewis said: “I think we‘ll stick to a mile with him and perhaps have a look for a Group Three race somewhere.”

The race was less memorable for apprentice Jamie Mackay, suspended for five days (March 29, 31 and April 1, 2 and 3) for irresponsible riding of a major nature on Atavus, who was found to have interfered with With Reason over three furlongs out.

After greeting Santando in the winner’s enclosure, Clive Brittain joked of the colt who is rated 73: “One of the few mistakes I‘ve made in my career was taking him out of the Derby.

“But he‘s a nice sort who will go on improving. I was worried about dropping him back in trip and he had to come through horses in the straight, but we had the right man on board for when there‘s some congestion.”

Eric Alston confidently predicted a bright future for Piccled after watching him put up a fine display of sprinting under apprentice David Allan in the Go Racing In Yorkshire Stakes (Showcase Handicap).

Alston had been brimming with confidence about Piccled’s chance and once he struck the front with a quarter of a mile to race he never really looked like being caught and was a length clear of Indian Spark at the line.

Alston said: “I honestly didn‘t think he would be beaten today. The only problem would have been if he had got into trouble.

“He‘s the most laid-back sprinter you could ever see. The only trouble is you never know if he‘s well or not. But he can’t half shift and there‘s a lot more to come from him. I hope he will make up into at least a Listed horse and I think he will.”

Paul Blockley made a dream return to the trainer’s ranks when Red Power, his first runner on the Flat, won the Ballyhane Stud Brocklesby Stakes in the hands of Robbie Fitzpatrick.

Blockley has been assistant to Russell Wilman for the last 14 months having previously held a licence in the 1980s and 1990s before having his licence withdrawn in 1995.

He joined Wilman at Southwell in November 2001, but in January last year he was disqualified for a year by the Jockey Club for appearing on a racecourse despite being a disqualified person at the time.

Red Power was bought to go to the Doncaster Breeze-Up Sales early next month but Blockley said: “I persuaded his owner Kenny Kok to run him in the Brocklesby as I told him I thought he would win it.

“But he will still go to the Breeze-Up and I believe he‘s the first winner ever to be offered for sale there. I may run him again first but the trouble is that if he‘s beaten his price will drop.”

On his return to training, he added: “I ran out of money. But racing‘s like a drug, you just can’t keep away and it‘s great to have a winner on my first day back on the Flat.”