Elmalka gave Silvestre de Sousa a landmark first British Classic win with a One Thousand Guineas (G1) success that marked a major change of fortune for the former champion jockey.
The pulsating victory was a third Classic win for Roger Varian but a first at his local track, a success that was made more sweet by the fact the winner was out of Nahrain, a filly who first got the trainer on the group 1 board in 2011.
Sat well off a decent pace set by outsider Star Style and sole French challenger Ramatuelle, the daughter of Kingman looked booked for third at best when Ramatuelle went clear heading into the Dip only for the situation to change dramatically when the petrol gauge on the leader went into the red zone.
In the end, Elmalka prevailed by a neck from fellow fast finisher Porta Fortuna with Ramatuelle a short head away in third.
De Sousa only returned to action in March after his spell in Hong Kong ended with him serving of a 10-month ban for breaching betting rules. But he has been a familiar sight in the Varian ranks since and made the most of his call-up for the ride when it was known the trainer's number one James Doyle would be riding for his retainers Wathnan Racing in France.
He said: "It's amazing and I'm on the moon. Elmalka is not very big, but she has a big heart and Roger told me to ride her with confidence. She's a tough filly and lengthens very well, and when I hit the rising ground she really hit her stride. They went off quick enough but when she got organized she really got into it."
The three-time champion added: "I've never come close to winning a Classic before, so this is special, and thanks to Roger and the team. When I first came back Roger asked me to come in and ride out for him and I've ridden some nice horses. I only knew I was riding this filly last week as she is (James Doyle's) ride really but he had to go to France so I was lucky to sit on her."
For Varian, the victory was at the other end of the stamina scale from his two wins in the St Leger, most recently with Eldar Eldarov in 2022.
He said: "It's a huge thrill that hasn't sunk in yet. You don't come into these races expecting that you may win but she ran a great race at Newbury (third in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes) and all credit to James Doyle who gave her a great ride that day.
"He got an education into her there and she finished strong. We weren't on the One Thousand Guineas trail day but after that there was such a turnaround in the filly in the past fortnight that it made sense. I was in two minds whether to run her but I wanted to do right by the filly and we decided to give it a go.
"I didn't think she was handling the track early on but then I thought she could come into it. In the Dip I thought we would run into a place and in the last 100 yards I thought we'd get there. It was incredible. I upgraded her performance at Newbury as ours were needing the run then. I knew she would be suited by a mile. What it tells you is on the all-weather through the winter you can run into anything."
