Just over 24 hours before riding Oath in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Kieren Fallon had little difficulty in claiming the feature of the Ascot fixture's opening day.

Rudi's Pet, winner of the Gosforth Park Handicap at Newcastle last month, was sent off the 2 to 1 favourite for the City Index Rated Stakes despite having to concede 4lb to his opponents.

He proved well up to the task, overcoming a sluggish break to lead after a furlong and a half of the five-furlong dash, and was in little danger from the halfway point.

Chased through the last 250 yards by Magic Rainbow, the Don't Forget Me chestnut, giving absent trainer David Nicholls his 50th domestic success of the season, still had a length and three-quarters to spare at the line, with two back to third-placed Batchworth Belle.

Rudi's Pet is part-owned by Jonathan Ramsden, son of Jack, whose wife Lynda trained the gelding before her retirement at the end of last year.

Rudi's Pet now looks set to tackle the Group Three King George Grosvenor Casinos Stakes on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood next Tuesday.

Asked about the Henry Cecil-trained Vodafone Derby winner's prospects against his elders today, Fallon said: "I think he has improved a lot since the Derby, is at his peak at the moment and he has to have serious chance. He would want good ground and it is firm. There is a big difference but time will tell."

Danegold, described as "part of the furniture" at Mick Channon's Lambourn yard, gave Richard Quinn an armchair ride in the John Guest Brown Jack Stakes.

Quinn's partner was still firmly on the bridle early in the straight but the Scot had to weave Danegold through beaten rivals - a tactic Channon insists keeps the horse interested - before delivering him to the front 75 yards from the line for a length-and-a-quarter win.

Jane Gillett sent Vic Soane to the Doncaster Sales with instructions to find "a chestnut colt with a good front".

He came back with Clarendon, who followed up a success in a Chepstow handicap by beating Make Way by a length and a half in the October Club Charity Handicap Stakes.

Make Way was subsequently demoted to third place by the stewards, who pushed Penang Pearl into second.

The two other two-year-old races on the card went to horses owned by the Maktoum family, Sheikh Hamdan's Hataab taking the European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes and El Mobasherr, running in the silks of Sheikh Ahmed, justifying 4 to 6 favouritism in the concluding Balmoral Maiden Stakes.