Saturday 1 September 2018 16:07, UK
Ten Sovereigns maintained his unbeaten record with a dominant display in the John Sisk & Son Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.
Just seven days on from making a striking winning debut, Aidan O'Brien had no concerns about plunging the No Nay Never colt into Group Three company.
Sent off the heavily-backed 1-3 favourite, Donnacha O'Brien - making it a four-timer on the card from the first five races - knew he was on the best horse and kept things simple.
At the head of affairs he was the last off the bridle before putting the race to bed, after quickening up with a furlong to run.
Just as he did last weekend, the most impressive aspect of his win was the ease with which he put distance between himself and the rest, and he pulled clear to beat Bruce Wayne, who was sixth in the same maiden as the winner.
Sky Bet but the winner to 8/1 for next year's 2000 Guineas.
The Ballydoyle trainer said: "You'd have to be very happy. It was lovely to come back here on a lovely bit of ground.
"He would have learned more today as he followed horses, so that was great. Donnacha was very happy with him.
"He travels very strong and has a lot of speed. I couldn't be happier. You'd be delighted to see the last furlong. He got there and opened up then.
"At least now going to the Middle Park he's after having two runs and he should have enough experience. We'll look forward to that now.
"He's definitely fast, but he's relaxed and he's very clean-winded so you'd say looking at him today he shouldn't have any problem with seven (furlongs).
"He seemed to do everything right and he has a good, big, open stride.
"He has a lovely mind, even into the stalls, and everything is very easy. He does the same in the race, he's very easy through the race.
"Seamus (Heffernan) rides him all the time and has done a great job on him."
Regarding getting a mile, he added:- "I always think if they're good enough, they usually get it, unless there is something to stop them from getting it.
"He's very clean-winded, he's a very good mover, he's big and he's scopey. He has plenty of speed, but that's what we're always looking for in horses and he has plenty of it.
"He doesn't look like a horse that would want soft ground, he's definitely a nice ground horse as he skips along."
When asked if the Dewhurst would be an option, O'Brien replied: "The Middle Park is what we were looking at, but obviously we'll see and there could be other horses there for the Dewhurst.
"Himself and Sergei (Prokofiev) we'll look at for the Middle Park. There are a few others that have run a bit below par in the past couple of weeks, but they might come back up again when the horses are running well again."
