Last year's French Derby fourth Day Flight resumed winning ways with a workmanlike performance at Kempton that suggested there might well be more to come.
With Frankie Dettori rushing Blythe Knight through to take the lead after a couple of furlongs, the 4-6 favourite was able to get a tow for much of the Johnno Spence Consulting Magnolia Stakes.
And although he had to be asked a question or two to quicken, Richard Hughes' mount did so in the final 150 yards to score by three lengths. Blythe Knight held a back-to-form Red Lancer for second place by a length.
Trainer John Gosden suggested that Day Flight had used "all the tricks" in the home straight, and the fouryearold still looks far from the finished article.
But with the ground possibly a shade quicker in the spring sunshine than would have been ideal, Gosden seemed satisfied with the efforts of the colt, who now heads for the Betfred Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown on April 23.
The trainer said: "He got jarred up in the French Derby. The ground was quick, the grass was short and they did two minutes 25, which is a remarkable time considering the uphill finish there.
"We tried to bring him back in the autumn, which didn't work out, but he has done that fine. As long as it is good, good to soft, we'll be okay.
"He might turn out to be an out-and-out mile-and-a-half horse, but sticking to ten furlongs for the time being gives us more options to play with.
"The cold three-week spell we had knocked a lot of the fillies back, but the older colts can take those sort of conditions much better." Connections of Blythe Knight were satisfied with his effort and indicated that he could take his chance in Saturday's Stanleybet Lincoln. Totesport left his price unchanged at 16-1.
'Talking horse' Iffraaj delivered the goods in the JSC PR Straight From Horse's Mouth Handicap under Philip Robinson.
The lightly-raced four-yearold has had injury problems and had been restricted to just three outings before yesterday. But despite allowing the talented High Reach to get first run at the furlong pole, Robinson scored by a length.
