High Chaparral propelled himself to second favouritism for the Epsom Derby with a stunning seven-length success in yesterday's Ballysax Stakes.
Leopardstown's Listed contest kick-started both Sinndar's and Galileo's classic campaigns but neither came within screeching distance of the ease with which High Chaparral dismissed his opposition.
"Awesome" was the verdict of one on-looking trainer but what will send shivers down the spines of every other camp was the determinedly understated reaction from Fortress Ballydoyle.
"He is a very serious horse," conceded Aidan O'Brien but the trainer wouldn't be drawn on whether High Chaparral is his number one candidate for Epsom.
Instead he followed the party line about running the rest of the powerful three-year-old team in any number of other trials which will include Hawk Wing in the 2,000 Guineas.
The bookmakers took heed and shaved High Chaparral's Derby price to 8 to 1 (Ladbrokes) instead of using the chainsaw that the 5,194 Leopardstown crowd might have expected.
Conceding a 7lb Group One penalty for his Racing Post Trophy success, High Chapparal cruised past his pacemaker Twentytwoandchange and then quickened like a seriously good horse.
"He is very exciting and he has been working like a real good one. His work has been exceptional. I don't think the ground (good to firm) mattered as he is such a good moving horse.
"When he won at Doncaster, the ground was killing him. He was climbing out of it. The pacemaker was there today just to make it fair for everyone," O'Brien said.
The cribbers will point to Twentytwoandchange's position in second as a negative and it was Rahn who did best of the non-Ballydoyle horses in third.
Rahn's jockey Pat Smullen reported: "It rode a reasonable race. The pace wasn't great early on but the winner must be alright to quicken away like that.
"Nevertheless, High Chaparral's stable companion Hawk Wing remains favourite for Epsom with most firms. But if he really is clearly better than yesterday's winner, then that talk of a Triple Crown might not be wishful thinking.
"He looks a special horse. When I got to the front, he pricked his ears and when I gave him a couple of smacks he just took off," reported Michael Kinane of yesterday's winner.
The Sinndar-Galileo route to Epsom via the Derrinstown Trial will be next for High Chaparral who is expected to improve significantly for his first start of the season. That prospect will shake a few souls from Newmarket to Dubai more than a lot.
The Ballysax was the understandable highlight of a Kinane five timer that he kicked off with Michael Halford's Calamella in the first.
Next up came the £2 million Century City in the 2,000 Trial, Lahinch in the 1,000 Trial and then the 3.4 million Guineas Diaghilev broke his maiden over 10 furlongs.
That first success could see Diaghilev graduate to Group One company in the Prix Lupin but Century City's next stop might be in the Tetrarch rather than the 2,000 Guineas.
"If he doesn't go for the Guineas, the Tetrarch could be the race for him. He is still a baby," said O'Brien who plans to run Della Francesca in Thursday's Craven Stakes at Newmarket.
The English headquarters is also the target for Lahinch who will go straight for the 1,000 Guineas after beating Marionnaud by three quarters of a length.
"Michael says she gives herself every chance of getting a mile because she is so relaxed. She is a lovely filly," declared the Ballydoyle trainer.
O'Brien's day was completed by Sophisticat's victory in the Group Three Prix de la Grotte at Longchamp, although Landseer (third in the Prix Fontainbleau) and Canberra (last in the Prix Grefulhe) failed to score.
Ballydoyle might have dominated but Michael Halford completed a double in the last with Desert Trail who beat off Gravieres under apprentice Rachel Costello.
Dermot Weld and Jim Bolger were the other trainers to hit the mark courtesy of Wise Words in the seven furlong handicap and Last Theatre in the mile and a quarter handicap.But for the third year running, the Ballysax Stakes might again prove a huge hint to the year's classic campaign.
