Aiken confirmed himself a stayer firmly on the up with a runaway success in the John Doyle Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot.
John Gosden's Selkirk colt ended last season with three wins on the bounce, and had carried on where he left off with victory at Epsom last month on his reappearance.
Settled in third as Dawn Twister and Tameen took the five runners along, Ryan Moore momentarily looked in a spot of bother as he bustled the 2-5 favourite along rounding the home turn.
However, all was soon well and he quickly picked the leaders up before rocketing clear at the two-furlong marker, winning in the end by 10 lengths from Tameen.
Moore said: "The race set up really well. He just went a little flat going into the turn but he picked up, he surprised me how well he picked up. He does everything right."
Making Eyes (11-2) showed guts in abundance in winning the Bovis Homes Fillies' Handicap for trainer Hugo Palmer and jockey Ian Mongan, and could return for the Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting.
The market proved an accurate guide as the well-backed Show Flower, trained by Mick Channon, got off the mark at the sixth attempt in the John Doyle Maiden Stakes.
Martin Harley's mount, sent off the 15-8 favourite, took over from long-time leader Sir Maximilian at the furlong pole and was pushed out to score by a length and a quarter.
Channon and Harley made it a two-year-old double as Cay Verde (11-2) showed he had come on a bundle for his debut run when scooting clear in the McGee Group Maiden Stakes.
Always moving with purpose, Harley got an instant response from his mount when asking the Bahamian Bounty colt to win his race, streaking clear to score by two and a half lengths from Hototo in the manner of a potentially smart colt.
Alan King's Grumeti, third in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and successful at Aintree last month, showed his versatility with victory in the Leo Bancroft Signature Haircare Handicap over a mile and a half.
The Jimmy Fortune-ridden 6-4 chance saw off Local Hero, the 11-10 favourite and another good jumper having finished second to King's Raya Star in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, by a length and a half.(reopens) Grumeti is a possible to return to Ascot for the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the Royal meeting, while there was a slight sting in the tail for Fortune, who was suspended for two days (May 26 and 28) having been found guilty of careless riding.
