The Andrew Balding-trained Gewan bounced back to his best to run out a determined winner of the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

In a race that was billed as a three-way match between Distant Storm, Gstaad and Zavateri, Gewan was sent off a relatively unfancied 25/1 shot despite his professional performance in the Acomb Stakes at York two starts ago.

However, returning to better ground following his fourth-place finish in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster four weeks ago, James Doyle opted to make plenty of use of the striking grey, with the pair always nicely positioned towards the fore.

As the duo ahead of him faded passing the two-furlong pole, Gewan struck the front under and although he hung left-handed towards the near side rail, Andrew Balding's charge remained in command coming away from the dip. Gstaad continued to snap away at the leaders' heels after getting slightly unorganised down the hill, but he never looked like passing the gallant grey, who dug deep to repel the challenge of the 7/4 market leader by three quarters of a length.

Charlie Appleby's Distant Storm ran on well from off the pace to finish back in third, while Zavateri, who got the better of Gstaad in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes last time, finished a creditable fourth for Eve Johnson Houghton and Charlie Bishop.

Balding took a similar route with his 2022 Dewhurst winner Chaldean, who on went on to land the 2000 Guineas as a three-year-old.

He said: "We were saying before the race that he was overpriced, because his York performance was very good and we thought you had to forgive him Doncaster," said the Kingsclere trainer. "So we weren't without a hope, but you've still got to come and do it.

"He was given a brilliant ride by James and he's a very good horse.

"The soft ground didn't help at Doncaster, but I don't think it was just that, for whatever reason he wasn't at his best. But he was today.

"He's very similar to Chaldean, but the only thing he hasn't done is win at Doncaster, they've followed the same route.

"If you could forgive that Doncaster run, he came here with every chance as the Acomb form was rock solid. It's a relief, but his work at home suggested he would play a part today."

The winner was cut to 10/1 (from 50s) for the 2000 Guineas next season by Paddy Power, with the same firm pushing out Distant Storm to 20/1 (from 10s) and leaving Gstaad at 12/1 unchanged.

Both Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby are looking forward to the winter months with their placed horses, who look set to be given Classic campaigns next season.

O'Brien said: "He ran a lovely race. I think so (will he be aim at the Classics)."

On the third-placed horse, Appleby commented: "After being beaten by the winner in the Acomb, you think do we give him one more run then put him away. He then goes and wins, and you are little bit drawn into a Dewhurst on the back of that.

"He will be given the winter to develop and strengthen now, and William (Buick) said amongst those horses, he felt as though immaturity was coming out a bit.

"He has lost nothing in defeat, and we will put him away for the winter and bring him out in the spring and decide whether to go for a Craven or have a racecourse gallop and come for the Guineas.

"He switched off lovely and the last twice he has raced the right way around. I think he is a horse that will be in contention as a Guineas horse in the spring."