Inisherin claimed a narrow success on seasonal debut in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes.
Trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Ryan Moore, the son of Shamardal won last year's Commonwealth Cup before letting down favourite-backers in the July Cup and again in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on his final start of the season in September.
York punters kept the faith in the returning four-year-old, who was sent off 11/8 favourite although the victory wasn't completely straightforward as Inisherin came under the pump a couple of furlongs from home as Night Raider took them along at a rapid pace in the six-furlong event.
Just as eventual third Night Raider (4/1) began to fade, he drifted away from the far side rail and Inisherin took full advantage, hitting the front inside the last furlong but Flora Of Bermuda laid down her challenge at the same time on the outside.
Andrew Balding's mare, who had been made to wait for a gap at the same time that Inisherin initially found running room, stuck to her task admirably but was held by a neck at the line. Elite Status - in the second silks of winning owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum - finished fourth at odds of 11/4 under Clifford Lee.
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Ryan said on Racing TV: "I was very nervous today. He's just been working a little bit behind the bridle but he's a year older, we lost a month with him and he's quite a gross horse now.
"I just gave Ryan (Moore) the lowdown on what I thought and then you leave it to Ryan. Tom [Eaves] was very gentlemanly about it but we just felt that...
"His two last runs last year were poor and you probably could forgive them, he'd been on the go a long time, but when Ryan was available just to get his feedback of what went right and went wrong and thankfully it went right so I'm delighted."
Regarding a recent breathing operation, the trainer said: "It was a simple thing, a lot of sprinters need it doing. I only found out (it needed doing) six weeks or so before the race."
Paddy Power trimmed Inisherin to 8/1 from 10/1 for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot next month, a race the Ryan yard won with Hello Youmzain in 2020.
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