But 20-1 chance Arcalis, who had been faced with overcoming a hugely-unfavourable draw in stall 18 in the 21-runner field, made relentless progress under Robert Winston to grab the lead close home and score by a head.

In doing so, he became the first horse since 1992 to win from a non-single-figure draw.

Each-way punters were rewarded as the well-fancied Starry Lodge (8-1) and Red Fort (15-2) stayed on to finish in the frame.

But bookmakers were still celebrating after Promotion, who was steadily supported all day both in the offices and on course, so narrowly failed to deliver the goods.

Bought privately by trainer Howard Johnson on behalf of his leading owner Graham Wylie earlier this year, Arcalis was purchased with a hurdling career in mind.

And ultimately Wylie hopes the four-year-old can make up into a Champion Hurdle contender after he has had a season in the novice ranks.

But in the meantime a £91,000 first prize is never to be sniffed at – not even by a multi-millionaire – and Wylie was delighted to have enjoyed his first winner at York in such a prestigious event.

“The idea was to give him a couple of spins on the Flat and then train him to go jumping, so for it to work out like this is amazing,” he said.

“I was watching The Morning Line earlier and John McCririck said that the statistics said you couldn’t hope to win unless you were drawn between 1 and 10.

“When I saw we were in 18 I thought ‘Oh well, we’ll just go and have a nice day out anyway’. But Robert gave him a great ride to overcome it.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him go hurdling. It’s been a great day. We weren’t expecting that at all.”

Winston, who is riding out of his skin at present, said Johnson had given him plenty of encouragement despite the draw.

“I think Howard didn’t want to ruin his handicap mark, so he just gave him a couple of racecourse gallops to keep him ticking over,” he said.

“I was drawn wide, but I was under no pressure from Graham Wylie, who is a brilliant owner to ride for, and Howard left it up to me as well.

“I was just focused on getting close to the fence, just to save myself a lot of ground. He missed the kick slightly so I was able to angle across and get on the rail and after that, every gap opened at just the right time.”

The difference between defeat and victory can be painfully slim at times and Winston revealed that he had lost his whip a furlong from the finish – something which might have cost him the race on a horse less brave than Arcalis.

“He wasn’t happy up the straight, he was hanging to the left. I had to switch my stick to my left hand and when I switched it back to my right I lost it, just after the furlong pole,” he said.

“But he is a brave horse and he responded very well for me. Once he got up to Kieren I knew he would pass him.”

The rider was completing a 156-1 double, having scored earlier in the six-furlong handicap on Pieter Brueghel.

Owner David Faulkner was enjoying his first winner at York after trying since the 1960s when the five-year-old made all to take the John Smith’s Extra Cold Handicap.

Pieter Brueghel (13-2) quickly set up a clear advantage and although Ellens Academy tried to throw down a challenge in the final stages, the David Nicholls-trained winner had enough in reserve to hold on by half a length.

“I think I have had a winner every year bar one for 37 years now,” said Faulkner. “But I have never had one at York until today, although we’ve had an awful lot of seconds.

“I was biting my nails a bit near the finish, but it’s fantastic to do it at last.”

Fans of champion jockey Fallon among the 37,000-plus crowd (the third-biggest in York’s history) may have missed out in the big race, but they were soon back in front when Distinction took the John Smith’s Extra Smooth Silver Cup Rated Stakes.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained 11-2 joint-favourite took the Listed contest by half a length from Star Member, leaving connections to ponder options that could include an ambitious tilt at the Melbourne Cup.

With that success Fallon was restoring his lead in the jockeys’ championship to five, Darryll Holland having earlier maintained his tireless pursuit as he drove home Look Here’s Carol to take the John Smith’s Cask Handicap.

Drawn on the wide outside in 14, Holland did well to get a good position in the early stages aboard the Bryan McMahon-trained 13-2 winner.

Digital came powerfully under Sam Hitchcott to make his challenge and probably edge narrowly into the lead at the furlong pole, but not for the first time he flattened out slightly in the final stages and had to settle for his third consecutive runner-up spot.

McMahon’s son and assistant Edward said: “It was all down to the jockey. From that draw, he had to get out and get a good position.

“She’s not overly big so she has done well to carry that big weight.”

And Holland brought the gap back to four as he completed a double when Pat Eddery’s ownership venture enjoyed its first success with Visionist in the first division of the John Smith’s Heron & Brearley Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

The Jamie Osborne-trained son of Orpen stuck on well for Holland to hold the challenge of fellow debutant Yajbill in the closing stages.

“I’m delighted to get our first winner,” said Eddery. “I’ve got nine horses in total and he’s the third to run.

“I’m really enjoying it. This one is a nice horse and he could have a future. He’s entered in the Gimcrack and that will probably be the plan, although I haven’t spoken to the trainer, who is at home looking after his sick wife.”