Richard Hannon provided Britain with an 11th winner of the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes in 12 years at Fairyhouse as Dick Turpin strolled home.
Hannon himself has an incredible record in the valuable heat and was saddling his fourth winner of the race in the last 11 renewals, but none were as classy as juvenile.
Winner of the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on his last start, he was forced to carry a 5lb penalty but that was nowhere near enough to mask his superiority over the field.
Richard Hughes barely had to ask his mount a question and he crossed the line with a double handful.
Hannon's son and assistant, Richard junior, said after the 8-15 favourite had obliged: "I think that's our sixth winner of this race but none were better than him - he'd be the best by a long way.
"We'll look at the Racing Post Trophy and Dewhurst, I would personally love to see him run in the Dewhurst.
"He has a lot of scope and could be a Guineas horse next year."
Aidan O'Brien's Cape Blanco was left unchanged at the head of the betting for next year's Derby by William Hill after a workmanlike display in the Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes.
Johnny Murtagh had to get pretty serious with the 1-5 chance but Hills still have him at 20-1 for the Classic.
Murtagh said: "He hated the ground.
"He hit a soft patch off the last bend and I was trying to get him organised after that.
"He definitely wants quick ground. He has a great temperament and has a chance of being a good horse."
John Oxx's Alandi was an easy winner of the Ballycullen Stakes, the 9-10 favourite beating stablemate Aliyfa by five lengths under Mick Kinane.
Currabeg trainer Oxx said: "He's a different horse when the ground is soft.
"The plan was to go for the Doncaster Cup as we were looking forward to stretching him out over a longer distance. But if it looks like being heavy he could run in the Irish St Leger. Although if it was good he could miss both."< Gibraltar Blue (4-1) will have her sights raised after making a winning debut for the Tommy Stack te
