Aidan O'Brien had a day to remember when saddling his sixth successive winner of the Independent Waterford Wedgewood Stakes sponsored Phoenix Stakes, the highlight of a 52.5/1 four-timer.
The Storm Cat juvenile was patiently-ridden by Michael Kinane, leading inside the final furlong to beat stable-companion Old Deuteronomy by a length.
Three Valleys (4/6fav) mystified connections when finding nothing under pressure a furlong out, and weakened to finish a further three lengths back in third.
'He is a unique horse in that he is really crying out for seven furlongs or a mile. He's so relaxed and the way he moves in the middle of work at home would knock you dead,' said O'Brien.
'Old Deuteronomy didn't handle the soft ground at Goodwood, and must have it fast,' added O'Brien.
One Cool Cat is as low as 4/1 with Ladbrokes for the 2,000 Guineas, although Cashmans offer 7/1 (from 10's).
High Chapparal, sidelined with a shoulder muscle injury, finally got his season underway by landing the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes in good style.
The 9/10 favourite appeared to hang momentarily a furlong out before quickening up well under Kinane to beat Imperial Dancer by three-quarters of a length with In Time's Eye a neck away in third.
O'Brien confessed to being a relieved man afterwards and said 'We left him off after he got the shoulder injury in the spring, and a canter here after racing at the Oaks meeting was the first time he did any work.'
'He will go next for either the Irish Champion Stakes or a race in France around the same time, and we will think about the Arc after that.'
Necklace (5/2-7/4f) completed a Group race treble for O'Brien and Kinane when produced between horses inside the final furlong to beat Caldy Dancer by a length in the Debutante Stakes.
'She did well for a Darshaan on her debut over six furlongs, and will come back here for the Moyglare,' said O'Brien.
The O'Brien/Kinane team got the afternoon off to a good start when Troubadour belied a lack of market confidence when making an impressive debut in the two-year-old maiden.
Robert Sangster's Danehill colt drew right away in the final furlong to beat the odds-on Ulfah by three and a half lengths, and O'Brien said 'He's a lovely big horse, and we won't overdo him this year.'
The Phoenix Sprint Stakes went for export with the Richard Hannon-trained Bonus making all to score by a length and a half from a group of horses headed by Sun Slash.
'The penny has suddenly dropped this year and he's improved about two stone. He may just have one more this season in the Haydock Sprint Cup,' said owners representative Harry Herbert.
Take Flite got up close home for leading apprentice Davy Condon in the ten furlongs handicap to pip outsider Man Of Aran and Hanzali by a head and a short-head.
'A brave gutsy little filly' is how trainer Tom Hogan described No Frontier after Jamie Spencer's mount touched off Premier View in the seven furlongs handicap.
Dyrick Daybreak (Niall McCullagh) landed the two miles handicap for the second year in succession when beating Montevideo by 3/4L.
John Murtagh gave up his mounts on both Notable Lady in the feature and Caldy Dancer due to the 8.11 weight, and was fined E2,000 by the stewards who were not happy with his recent record in this regard.
Alan Magee
