Bondi Beach was made to work harder than odds of 1-9 suggested he would in the Coolmore Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.
With Zannda pulled out, last year's St Leger runner-up had just two rivals to beat and was anchored in rear by Seamus Heffernan as Silwana cut out the running.
Toe The Line took it up early in the straight and appeared to be travelling better than the market leader, but Heffernan eventually coaxed Bondi Beach into putting his best foot forward and drove him out to a one-and-a-half-length success.
"When he gets to the front he idles. He settled well and it was a very tactical race. The one in front didn't go very quick," said Joseph O'Brien, assistant to his father, Aidan.
"I don't know whether he'll go for the Saval Beg before the Gold Cup or straight to Ascot. You'd be very happy with that."
Washington DC returned to winning ways with a comfortable success in the Listed Coolmore Stud Power Stakes.
Seamie Heffernan was always stalking the leaders on Aidan O'Brien's 13-8 favourite, who was Group One-placed and never out of the first two in his juvenile season but had disappointed at Ascot last month.
Asked to take control a furlong and a half out, the Zoffany colt when nicely clear and stayed on well to beat Diamond Fields by two and a quarter lengths.
"He won well in fairness to him and the ground was a big help," said Joseph O'Brien, assistant to his father.
"It was a bit slow for him the last day and a few things didn't work out - he got a bump. He has a lot of pace and was a good two-year-old. I'd say he'll go for the Commonwealth Cup.
"He's a quick horse and fast ground is the key to him, as he's a low mover. Five or six is his trip."
Experience told in the Requinto EBF Maiden as Callender held the late thrust of newcomer Imagine If.
Patrick Prendergast's youngster was third in the opening race of the turf season before being turned over at odds-on back at the Curragh.
He attracted support again and quickened well at the furlong pole to take the lead, before sticking on strongly in the hands of Chris Hayes to keep fellow 5-2 joint-favourite Imagine If half a length at bay.
"The ground made a huge difference. In hindsight I shouldn't have run him the last day, but he was going so well I thought we might get away with it," said Prendergast.
"It was a better maiden today. Chris said his saddle slipped coming out of the stalls so it could have all gone wrong. Considering that, he could have won a bit handier and is a smart horse.
"The original plan was to go for the Marble Hill after winning his maiden the last day, but I made a mess of it!"
He added: "We'll see how he comes out of this, but the Marble Hill might come a bit quick now. I think a few weeks between his races does him no harm.
"Chris said he idled a little and I would have loved something to bring him a little closer to the line. He always seems to be doing the donkey work. At home he works very well to pounce."
Imagine If's trainer Ger Lyons got on the scoresheet when Ardhoomey took the navanracecourse.ie Handicap.
The 9-4 favourite did not get his head in front until no more than 100 yards from the finish but quickened well to get there and that momentum helped propel him to a neck defeat of the fast-finishing In Salutem.
"Everybody knows what I think of the the horse and what his issues are," said Lyons. "He's done that well, but the handicapper is going to grab him at some stage and we might run of handicaps.
"Five furlongs on quick ground is a help to him. If he could breathe he would be a very good horse."
