Eminent and Jim Crowley© Photo Healy Racing
Eminent, a son of Frankel, ran out a hugely impressive winner of the bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket.
Winner of his only start at two, the Martyn Meade-trained colt was sent off at 8-1 in a strong-looking trial.
With Group One winner Rivet taking the group along on the near side, Eminent was brought through with his run by Jim Crowley towards the centre of the track.
Rivet stuck to his task gamely but it was another once-raced youngster, Saeed bin Suroor's Benbatl, who briefly appeared the biggest threat.
However, Eminent only hit top gear on meeting the rising ground and powered clear of Rivet to win by a length and three-quarters.
Meade said: "I'm so thrilled, it's so nice when they back you up. I've had to show a little bit of caution, but he's shown everything there that we've asked him to do. Now what have we got on our hands?
"There were Group winners behind him and he'd only won a maiden. He did it very well.
"I'd hope there's improvement there. He was coming here as a prep race because that is what it is, we didn't have him tuned completely but he did just what we wanted him to do.
"I can hardly speak it is so exciting. He's very special, I'm thrilled to bits with him."
Crowley said: "He's the real deal. When he won his maiden, he was only getting going at the winning line and it was the same today. He only hit top gear as he went past the line.
"He's got a great mind, this horse, and my only worry coming into this race was if he had enough toe for this race as he might want a bit further and there's no question he'll stay further but he has enough boot to win a race like that.
"I think he'd have won wherever he was on the track. I knew I'd got a good tow off Rivet as I knew he'd go forward and what I like about him is that I was first out of the stalls (and) I was able to take him back."
Eminent is around 10-1 for the first Classic of the season.
