Castle Harbour has been praised for his “one hell of a debut” after shedding his maiden tag in the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes at Newmarket racecourse.

The Bermudian-owned thoroughbred delivered a hugely promising performance with a comfortable ¾-furlong victory in the Class 4 race on Tuesday.

Sent off as a 10-3 second favourite in the seven-furlong race, Castle Harbour made his presence felt from an unfavourable draw in stall one, taking an early lead that he never relinquished.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, a three-times champion jockey, Castle Harbour found another gear when put under pressure on his inside and outside by 3-1 favourite Fawaareq and Archimento in the final furlong.

Dettori and Gosden, Castle Harbour’s trainer, dominated the opening day of the meet with a treble after wins by Swiss Range and Nathra.

Harry Herbert, the racing manager of Highclere — the racing syndicate in Berkshire that oversees the Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing operation — said he was encouraged by the cool temperament shown by Castle Harbour.

“It was a really impressive performance from a horse who has never seen a racecourse before,” said Herbert, who visited Bermuda in December 2014 to meet with the BTR owners.

“It’s particularly difficult when you’re made to do all the running, which is what Frankie elected to do on him.

“He settled in beautifully in front and just as the other horses came to him, he really galloped out well. It was a very, very positive performance. It was one hell of a debut!”

Simon Scupham, the local businessman and racing enthusiast behind BTR, said he was thrilled with Castle Harbour’s first outing.

“It was a very exciting debut as only good horses win maidens at the Newmarket Craven meeting,” he said.

Castle Harbour, who was taken out of this month’s Doncaster’s Lincoln Meeting because of the testing ground, is part of BTR’s second syndicate, the Pink Sands account, along with Sir George Somers who is yet to race.

The other horses owned by Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing are Johnny Barnes, Horseshoe Bay, Great Sound and Paradise Lakes.