Roger Varian and Silvestre de Sousa both enjoyed a first victory in the 1000 Guineas when Elmalka produced a power-packed finish to collar Porta Fortuna in the closing stages.

The pace looked like a generous one in the early stages with Richard Hannon's once-raced Star Style racing keenly alongside the likes of Darnation.

Both Fallen Angel and the well-supported French raider Ramatuelle appeared well-positioned in behind the pace, and it would be the latter who would make the first move as she bid for Classic success.

Ramatuelle was seemingly going best entering the final furlong but as she entered unknown territory, it was revealed that there would yet be a twist in the tail of the first fillies' Classic. Having been held up plum last for much of the prestigious Group 1 mile contest, Elmalka looked to have it all to do at the halfway stage. However, once organised under Silvestre de Sousa, she hit the rising ground with purpose and soon began to eat into the leader's advantage.

The homebred daughter of Kingman continued to stay on in eye-catching style and it quickly became apparent she was going to play a major role in proceedings. Elmalka came fast and late to pass Ramatuelle, who in turn, was passed by Porta Fortuna. The winning margin was a slender neck, with the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Cheveley Park Stakes heroine getting the better of the argument for second. 

Ramatuelle finished a further short-head behind in third, with the Jamie Spencer-ridden Tamfana closing strongly to grab the fourth spot after looking slightly unlucky in-running.

Aidan O'Brien's Ylang Ylang (5/1) put in some good late work to finish a close-up fifth under Ryan Moore on her seasonal return and was subsequently cut to 7/2 favourite for the Epsom Oaks with Paddy Power. The same firm also cut Tamfana to 8/2 (from 33s).

"It's a dream come true," De Sousa said to ITV Racing. "It's brilliant for Roger to give me the opportunity and I'm delighted for the yard and the whole team."

"She got very unbalanced. She just took a couple of strides to organise herself," explained De Sousa, who returned to Britain this season after being banned in Hong Kong.

"I was happy with the way she travelled but she's just inexperienced. She's very tough and I think the further she's going to go the better she's going to be.

"She's tough and she's learning and improving. She's very easy to ride. She switches off. I was always behind the bridle so when she goes up in trip it shouldn't be a problem."

Elmalka may have been sent off a relatively unfancied 28/1 in a Classic full of quality, but Roger Varian was by no means totally surprised by her performance on the back of an eye-catching third-place finish over a furlong shorter in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury.

"It's not a surprise because I wouldn't have run her if I didn't think she'd run well, but you don't come into these races thinking you're going to win," explained Varian.

"She ran a big race at Newbury, and she was green as grass. Credit to James Doyle as he gave her a super ride that day, he got an education into her, and she finished strong. I felt in another 100 yards she might have been a length and a half winner as she was just taking off.

"We weren't set on running in the Guineas that day, but the turnaround in the filly in the last fortnight has been quite incredible.

"She looked fantastic, and she'd worked well. I was in two minds whether to run her as I wanted to do the right thing by the filly, but that's why we're here right, to have a go."

On how he was feeling throughout the contest, Varian added: "I was thinking at halfway we weren't really handling the track, but the further we went I thought she was coming into it, in the dip I thought we'd get a place and in the final 100 yards I did think we'd get there.

"It's very special to train a Guineas winner for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, who has supported me all my career and supported Michael Jarvis before me. She's a homebred filly out of Nahrain, who was my first Group 1 winner in the first year I trained, winning the Prix de l'Opera.

"I'm delighted for the owner and the team at home who put in so much hard work. It's a team effort, these things don't happen by accident and it's a huge thrill, it hasn't sunk in.

"You can't be labelled just as a Leger winner, you need something with a bit of speed, so I'm delighted to have won a Guineas.

"James Doyle will ride the majority of mine when available, unfortunately for James his first priority is with Wathnan Racing and he's in France today riding for them. Silvestre is not a bad substitute."