It clinched a double for the owner and jockey after the success of Welcome Friend in the opening race on the card.

Clearing was sent off the 7-4 favourite to make a winning return to action against nine rivals in the seven-furlong handicap.

Hughes coolly bided his time before pouncing late on to deny Palace Affair by a neck.

"I was trying to get him on the tractor marks where the ground was a little faster," said the jockey.

"He didn't want to do that and it was only near the finish that he really got on top. He needs further and won't be running over this distance again."

Clearing, the winner of the Horris Hill Stakes at the end of last season, was providing his trainer John Gosden with his third victory from just four runners in the Free Handicap.

"Most of my early runners are going to need a race but I wasn't confident this one wouldn't," said the trainer who was registering his first success of the year.

Clearing now varies at between 16-1 and 25-1 for the 2000 Guineas but has the option of going for the French version.

"If the ground was on the soft side I certainly wouldn't mind going to France," said Gosden.

"This horse wants a stiff mile and the distance was really too sharp for him today."

Looking further ahead Clearing is a possible for the Dante Stakes at York next month.

"I'm sure he will get one and a quarter miles at least but let's see what happens in the Dante before we think about whether he will stay further than that," added Hughes.