Walter Swinburn swept aside 19 months of heartache as he triumphed on Blue Forest at Newcastle today.
The Derby winner was able to celebrate his first success since being forced on to the sidelines because of alcohol and weight problems.
The last time Swinburn, 38, experienced that winning feeling was back in August 1998 when Lavery won the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown.
The sparse Newcastle crowd warmly applauded the jockey who first made headlines when as a 19-year-old he guided Shergar to victory in the 1981 Derby.
"That was a lovely feeling - it's been so long since the last one and that's just what I needed," he said.
Swinburn, who returned to action at Wolverhampton earlier this month, had to work hard on Blue Forest.
The easy-to-back 4-1 chance, trained by Jeremy Noseda, managed to get his head in front inside the final 100 yards to defeat Charlie Parkes by half a length in the EBF Maiden Stakes.
"The race panned out nicely for me - he was a little laid back and sluggish to start with. But once he got his mind on the job he was always going to win," said Swinburn.
"If they were all like this it would be easy.
"I have to say that I've been well-received at all the courses I've ridden at since I came back and it felt like I was winning the Northumberland Plate here."
Swinburn is now looking forward to the big meetings and is satisfied with his general fitness.
"It's getting better all the time. All I need now is lots of race riding," he said.
Milligan, a winner over hurdles at Catterick earlier this month for Venetia Williams, made a winning switch to the Flat when scoring in impressive style in the www.inter-bet.com Handicap.
The 6-1 tracked the leaders before being sent on by Pat Eddery with two furlongs to travel.
With the race safely in the bag Eddery allowed Milligan to coast home by two and a half lengths from Chief Monarch.
Milligan was campaigned in sprint races in Britain last year though he had run well over longer distances in France.
He rejoined his Flat trainer David Nicholls after his victory at Catterick.
"Venetia should take all the credit for this win," said Nicholls. "He was still under her petrol here.
"Pat is a top jockey and he gave him a good ride. But he said the horse would have won over any trip.
"Last year Milligan worked with (the sprinter) Rudi's Pet and was beating him and that's why we kept him in sprint races."
The stewards looked at the running of Milligan who had never been placed previously in Britain.
They interviewed Nicholls and forwarded his comments to the Jockey Club under the instruction "examination of previous runs following an improved performance".
Eddery was expected to complete a double aboard Cabriac but the 4-6 chance came unstuck at the hands of outsider Dancing Bay in the www.inter-bet.com Maiden Stakes.
Dancing Bay (25-1), unplaced in his previous two outings, stayed on strongly to defeat the favourite by three lengths.
"We thought he was a nice horse but didn't think he'd beat the favourite," said trainer Julie Camacho who was making it three out of three on the Flat this year.
"We thought he was okay last season but he was just a bit weak."
Camacho's Pleasant Mount was backed down to 2-1 favourite for the Interbet International Handicap.
But he was well behind as Swiftway got up close home to deny Cinder Hills.
Lynsey Hanna put up a polished performance to deliver Bedevilled a winner in the Interbet Handicap.
The 12-1 chance, racing on the far side of the track, was two lengths too good for the favourite Mungo Park.
