Rapid Deployment made light of the heavy going to give trainer Pat Hughes his second Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh's final meeting of the season.
The four year-old swept past Tryphaena in the closing stages of the stamina-sapping 2m contest, after the latter had looked sure to land the #26,000 first prize.
'This is a sweet day,' said the jubilant Bagenalstown handler afterwards. 'I wasn't convinced he'd go on the ground, and told Fran Berry to be very patient.'
'I won the race in 1980 with Potato Merchant, and this was the plan,' continued Hughes, whose victorious charge is owned by a syndicate of publicans.
Castle Gandolfo was a tremendously impressive winner of the Group 3 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh, slamming his rivals by seven lengths under Michael Kinane.
'This is a very smart horse who we've always thought a lot of,' said Aidan O'Brien of his latest Pattern-race success.
'They went a proper gallop which made it a good test, and the Racing Post trophy is a possibility now,' added the Ballydoyle maestro, who looks set for a very exciting finish to the season.
Diamond Trim followed up last month's course and distance success when justifying the step up to Listed class in the Finale Stakes, although she had to survive a stewards' enquiry.
Pat Smullen was seen at his strongest in getting the filly home by 1/2 length from Masilia after a great tussle throughout the final furlong, thus providing Dermot Weld with his 25th winner of the season at headquarters.
Spencers Wood relished the underfoot conditions when comfortably taking the Listed Waterford Testimonial Stakes under Seb Sanders.
'He obviously hadled the ground better than the others, and that'll probably be it for the season now,' said visiting trainer Peter Makin, whose former inmate Imperial Beauty captured the Prix de l'Abbaye last weekend.
$6.8m purchase Tasmanian Tiger was sent off a well-backed 5/4 favourite for the opening two year-old maiden, but after showing up prominently eventually faded into third.
'The ground was against him - Mick knew it going down to the start. But we had to get a run into him somewhere and I was happy with that,' said the trainer.
Victory went to the consistent Solid Approach, who stayed on well to defeat promising newcomer Millstreet by 2 1/2 lengths, with the Ballydoyle colt a further 3L in arrears.
Kevin Prendergast's winner may now head for Leopardstown's Eyrefield Stakes, and his jockey Declan McDonogh enjoyed a quick double aboard Be Patient in the October Median Auction Maiden.
