Harry Findlay was among the relieved faces in the Goodwood winner's enclosure after Titus Mills justified hot favouritism in the Listed Peter Willett Stakes.
Renowned gambler Findlay has endured a traumatic summer and has reduced his involvement in ownership considerably, but he still retains an interest in the Brian Meehan-trained chestnut along with the Sangster family.
As well as being forced to make the running in a small field, Titus Mills hung right across to the stands rail with a couple of furlongs to run, but he did well to fight off Big Issue by half a length.
Meehan said: "We're really pleased with that. He's very serious. The ground was definitely too slow and we'll play it by ear now. Off the top of my head, I would say it would be the Dewhurst Stakes (next)."
Findlay had backed his judgement, adding: "We weren't scared to put the money down on soft ground as we knew it wouldn't be a problem. He was a bit greener than we hoped but he looks like a monster and he's never out of breath at home."
Ryan Moore looked like he had never been away with a three-timer, his first winners since August 9.
The champion jockey only returned last Thursday after recovering from a wrist injury and he had to be pretty physical for a neck success on Meehan's Indigo Way (11-2) in the George Anthony Celebration Nursery.
Moore powered up the stands side on 10-11 favourite Longliner in the Buy A £10,000 Racing Post Bonus Yearling Maiden Stakes, a belated first success for Sir Michael Stoute's grey, and then collected on Compton Blue (8-1) in the Betting Shops Back Turftv Handicap.
He is still only a handful of winners ahead of Kieren Fallon in this year's title race and his rival knocked off the century in the EBF Racing UK Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
Fallon's mount Poplin (7-4 favourite) was another to lean right over to the stands side, but he managed to gather her up and hold the evidently fancied newcomer Always The Lady by a length and a half.
