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Ed Walker felt complete jubilation when his filly Celadine dug deep to claim the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday.
The daughter of Kingman was sent off a 13/2 chance on the back of her fourth-place finish in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and under an aggressive front-running ride for Tom Marquand, she clung on gamely to fend off the rallying Time For Sandals by a neck.
The Karl Burke-trained Leovanni finished a further length and a half behind in third, while Aidan O'Brien's 15/8 favourite could only manage to finish fourth under Ryan Moore.
Paddy Power cut the winner to 8/1 from 16s for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket next month.
"I haven't had a buzz like that for a long time, I don't know why but it really got me," said a beaming Ed Walker. "I really fancied her at Goodwood when she kind of disappointed, she disappointed in France too and I stupidly took on the colts at Goodwood hunting for fast ground when I was probably overthinking it a bit too much.
"That was very special, the way she does it, she's so tough. I think she got a bit lonely at Goodwood, we had to use a lot of gas early over five down that hill, drawn out on a wing whereas today she was in amongst it and surged forward.
"She's very quick, very tough, very genuine and Tom gets on brilliantly with her. She's cool."
He added: "She's properly quick, an out-and-out sprinter. I got my leg pulled for putting her in the Moyglare, but the Lowther will do!
"I guess the Cheveley Park and then the Breeders' Cup has got to be the plan."
Later on the card, Clive Cox enjoyed success when Diligently clung on gamely under Rossa Ryan to fend off the 5/4 market leader Arizona Blaze by a head in the Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes.
The Clive Cox-trained son of Harry Angel was breaking his maiden at the fifth attempt and securing the valuable £249,908 first prize in the process.
"It was enormously satisfying to win Harry's (Beeby, the late chairman of Goffs) race last year, he was a very special person to me and to win it two years running is amazing," said an emotional Cox, who landed the contest twelve months ago with Dragon Leader.
"He's a very nice horse, especially with his pedigree, that makes it all the more pleasing. He was one of those horses I wanted to run over five furlongs just to put his brain into gear. I thought he'd run well at Sandown last time, but he got absolutely murdered down on the rail and that's why he finished nine lengths behind.
"He clearly put that result well and truly behind him today with a very satisfying reward. He's got a wonderful mind and it's really pleasing that he's got a bit of scope to go on next year as well.
"It's always a step-by-step process, but I'm really pleased that he's confirmed he is what I hoped he might be.
"He cost a bit (£100,000), but he's made up for that investment today and hopefully he'll continue to progress as well."
