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Karl Burke was once again in the winners’ enclosure on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile following Liberty Lane’s victory in the William Hill Suffolk Stakes.

The Karl Burke-trained four-year-old was sent off a 9/1 chance to bounce back to form having disappointed in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster last-time-out and duly obliged in ready style under an in-form Clifford Lee.

Dutch Decoy made his bid for home inside the final furlong but just as he did at the Craven meeting, Charlie Johnston's charge would have to settle for a silver medal as Clifford Lee produced Liberty Lane with a well-timed run to score by a length and three quarters.

Joint-favourite Torito finished a further short-head away in third.

"He came back sick from the Lincoln, he scoped very dirty afterwards and was a sick horse for two or three weeks," explained Burke, who later saddles the unbeaten Night Raider in the 2000 Guineas.

"The only reason I ran him today was because Sheikh Obaid was going to be here and it was a £100,000 race, we'd entered earlier, and he was just coming back to himself.

"It's a pleasant surprise. I thought he'd run well but I didn't expect that. The key to this horse is that he's learnt to relax in his races now, he's always been very keen. He ran here behind Ed Walker's horse in a Derby trial last year, then I ran him in the Dante, and he ran too free, and he still led the Dante field to a furlong and a half out.

"Today Cliff (Lee, jockey) gave him a lovely ride, got him in a great rhythm, and he showed what he can do but he will improve."