Then Robinson used the same tactics as New Morning got the better of last year’s Epsom hero North Light to take the betfair.com Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

North Light is unlikely to be asked to tackle 10 furlongs again, judged by the way in which he looked leaden-footed on the prevailing good to firm ground until staying on for pressure up the final incline to get to within half a length at the winning post.

His trainer Sir Michael Stoute was giving little away after the race about future plans, but seemed pleased enough with the horse’s effort on his first start of the season.

“He looked a bit rusty and at one stage it looked like he wasn’t going to pick up at all, but he has run on well to the line and I’m pleased with that,” he said.

“He did have a hold-up a few days ago and that set us back a bit, so he should come on for this.

“There is no plan yet, but he has got plenty of entries.”

Not that lack of fitness could be blamed for North Light’s defeat, given that New Morning – a full-sister to Stoute’s brilliant filly Islington – was also making her first start of the campaign.

Winning trainer Michael Jarvis said: “We hoped this would be her season – she is from a family that improves with age.

“I made one or two mistakes with her last year, including running her on soft ground a couple of times when she wants it as quick as this.

“I suppose the race we will have to look at is the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.”

Robinson added: “She was happy being in front and hopefully she will have enjoyed herself today, and it will put her in the frame of mind to have a good season.

“The small field probably helped her a bit and this is probably her best trip too.

“But she seems to have improved physically and mentally since last season and I think she might be quite a smart filly.”

Mubtaker, who finished a further length and a half behind North Light, also pleased his connections and the eight-year-old is set to be aimed at the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot at York next.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning said: “This trip is probably on the short side for him nowadays, but he’s a lovely old horse and I think he looks very well.

“He’s had one or two problems, so you take it race by race with him, but I don’t believe he has been disgraced tonight.”

Ascot is also the aim for Celtic Mill, who fought like a tiger for his success.

A late maturer, the seven-year-old gelding was a winner over Pontefract’s stiff mile as a three-year-old, but has the speed to go with anything these days.

Robinson had the 16-1 shot smartly away in the five-furlong Group Two race and the gelding had to dig deep in the closing stages to see off a whole host of challengers.

The Tatling looked to be a major threat, but he dropped away towards the line as Kieren Fallon and Orientor came storming through to take second, finishing just a short head behind the David Barker-trained winner.

Balmont also ran on well and took third, a further short head back. But the 11-4 favourite Nota Bene was under pressure by halfway and dropped out tamely.

With the winning trainer on holiday with his young family in Portugal, his mother Pat Barker said: “That’s our biggest winner as a stable – we are more of a breeding operation than a training one.

"We can look forward to training the relatives of this horse in the future as his sister has just gone to Celtic Swing (Celtic Mill’s sire).

“He ran well at Windsor carrying a penalty eight days ago and that probably just put him spot-on for this. We’ll have to look at the King’s Stand now.

“When he first came to us as a two-year-old we sent him back to the stud because he was so immature. Then at three we basically thought he was a bit slow and were pleasantly surprised when he managed to win over a mile.

“But since then he has just got faster and faster and we love him to bits.

“We were just lucky to have a patient owner, who gave us all the time we needed.”

Jim Goldie, trainer of Orientor, added: “I thought he’d need to be Pegasus to win from there when he got left behind out of the stalls, and he nearly was.

“He’s in the King’s Stand and the Golden Jubilee, and the way he was staying on you’d have to be looking more towards the Golden Jubilee over six furlongs.”

Bookmakers Coral cut Celtic Mill to 7-1 from 12-1 for the King’s Stand and also cut the odds of Balmont from 16-1 to 10-1 for both that race and the Golden Jubilee.

On a good evening for front-runners, Darryll Holland gace Marchetta a fine ride to win the 20% Better Odds On Betfair Fillies’ Handicap.

The 8-1 winner’s trainer Walter Swinburn has his team in good order after something of a slow start to the season.

And he revealed after seeing Holland give his winner such a fine ride that he is hoping to make a more permanent arrangement to use the rider.

“There’s something that we’re working on and I would like to get it in place, because he is a very good jockey,” said Swinburn.