The 9-4 shot, trained by Brian Meehan, was brought with a perfectly-timed run by Jamie Spencer to lead inside the final furlong.

Notnowcato (9-1) stayed on strongly to take second spot a length and a half in arrears, with Blue Monday (8-1) a further neck back in third.

But the 2-1 favourite Ouija Board, conqueror of David Junior in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes last time out, was only fifth after failing to get a clear run at a crucial stage. Royal Alchemist, bought by David Junior's connections earlier in the week to ensure a proper gallop, set a strong pace as expected.

Spencer was content to sit at the back of the field, with Ouija Board also towards the rear. Christophe Soumillon could not get a way through the pack on the latter as the race began in earnest in the straight, but Spencer had no trouble with his run towards the centre of the course.

He made his bid over a furlong out and David Junior quickly asserted his superiority to take the honours.

Spencer told Channel 4 Racing: "First of all, well done to David Sullivan and partners for having the guts to buy Royal Alchemist and also to her jockey Michael Tebbutt for setting such a lovely gallop. It made my job so easy and this fella is a little rocket.

"I was following Ouija Board throughout. She got a little bit tight in the straight but my horse picked up so quick and he idled when he got there. Racing is racing.

This was a different track, different day. Ascot was very displeasing for everybody.

"That's the dream of racing.

We got well beat at Ascot but he's really showed them again. I didn't doubt him. I just felt at Ascot that maybe he just wasn't himself, but he was today."

Meehan added: "He's a wonderful horse. I suppose you have got to say that the pace in the Prince of Wales's (where he finished fourth) caught him out. The mare (Royal Alchemist) ran really well and Michael Tebbutt did a great job. He did what we required and rode her for the best possible place. With a horse like this there was always a pretty good chance he was going to bounce back."

Ouija Board's trainer Ed Dunlop said: "She's come back safe and sound which is the main thing. She did stumble and was knocked about a bit. I don't know what we'll do next but we'll take her home and talk to the owners and see where we go from here."

Soumillon said: "The pace was very fast. I had enough pressure from the outside to worry me and I didn't want to push my filly for her run too soon. The horse on my outside (Aussie Rules) kept keeping me in and it was very difficult on this track to find any room. I decided to switch her inside but she stumbled for a stride, only to stay on again at the end.

"Without the trouble I think we would have been second or third."