The irrepressible pairing of trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori swooped to take the feature, the Feilden Stakes, on the opening day of Newmarket’s 2017 season.

Dettori galvanised Khalidi to score by a neck at 7/2, beating favourite Salouen.

It was Dettori’s fourth win in the race which Gosden won two years ago with subsequent Epsom Derby hero Golden Horn.

The Sylvester Kirk trained Salouen lost little in defeat under Ryan Moore.

Gosden said: “That was probably his Derby day. We knew he’d love the ground. I don’t think it was a vintage Feilden. He’s a genuine colt, but very diminutive. I think we can have a look at the Chester Vase and be bold.”

The Dettori/Gosden combination completed a rapid double when 15/2 chance Jewel House took the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes, beating Godolphin’s Top Mission.

Charlie Appleby and William Buick were denied a hat-trick when Salsabeel lost out to Beat The Bank in the bet365 Conditions Stakes.

The 5/4 favourite was unsettled by the rising ground and the winner proved a neck too good under Oisin Murphy.

Beat The Bank, at 7/1, won on debut at Dundalk but has since been transferred to Andrew Balding’s yard.

Balding said: “He is a talented horse. I think there’s a bit more to come. The brief from the owner was to try to have runners for Royal Ascot and that is the likely target.

“He’s a new owner for me (Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha), he’s the chairman of Leicester City but he couldn’t be here as they have quite a big game tonight!”

Despite being beaten, Appleby had plenty to celebrate. “Our horses are definitely more forward than we’ve had them and it’s nice to have the first winners of the season at Newmarket,” he said.

The finale, the Quy Mill Handicap, produced a four-way blanket finish with El Astronaute under Jason Hart for trainer John Quinn getting the nod, returned the 5/1 on the nearside rail.