St Nicholas Abbey provided a belated but thunderous reminder of his capabilities by streaking nine lengths clear in the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
Considered the sport's next big thing after his devastating victory in the Racing Post Trophy of October 2009, the colt had almost reached the last-chance saloon after making just two subsequent appearances.
He was just sixth when a hot favourite for last year's 2000 Guineas and hardly back to form when only third on his recent comeback at the Curragh, meaning punters elected to send him off at 11-8 as many sided with the even-money favourite Harris Tweed.
And it was Harris Tweed who cut out the running until Ryan Moore gave St Nicholas Abbey the go-ahead turning into the straight.
Perhaps revealingly, he was still sprinting further away as they crossed the line.
Moore had helped Harbinger to lift the race a year ago in his short but brilliant campaign and St Nicholas Abbey is part of a formidable middle-distance team for Aidan O'Brien, with his squad fortified this week by So You Think and Thursday's Huxley Stakes winner Await The Dawn.
‘He was very impressive in what was a very messy race,’ explained Moore.
‘They went very quickly, slowed down, and then went quick again.
‘I probably went for home a little earlier than I wanted to, but he was going that easily I just let him go on.
‘He did everything really well and he was so relaxed that I expected him to probably win down at the start.
‘It is an easy mile and five at Chester - he wasn't stopping - but he has got speed and stamina.’
O'Brien has claimed four winners at the May meeting and Richard Fahey reached the same number with his biggest success of the week in the Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes.
Unexposed gelding Glen's Diamond (2-1 favourite) came here after winning a Musselburgh handicap and swept wide around the final bend to career two and a quarter lengths away from Maqaraat.
‘He's slow at home but he just stays and stays,’ said Fahey.
‘I won't ask him for too much this year and it will be one race at a time but he'll be a proper racehorse next season.
‘The Melbourne Cup one day is at the back of my mind.
‘He hasn't come in his coat yet, but we like him a lot.’
Fahey and Hanagan has earlier helped Dr Marwan Koukash achieve a dream result in the race he sponsored, the Layla Hotel Earl Grosvenor Handicap.
It looked as if 4-1 favourite Pintura was going to be the one for the mob-handed, Chester-loving owner, but Kyllachy Star (6-1) flashed home late to score by a head, with Koukash's My Kingdom in fourth.
‘Someone spoiled the party as I thought I was going to be one, two, three but one, two and four isn't bad,’ chuckled Koukash, who has around 80 horses in training and hopes he can have a breeding empire up and running within five years.
Koukash also made it four for the meeting when Jamie Spencer rode his rivals to sleep aboard Layla Jamil (7-1) in the highstreetvouchers.com Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
Frankie Dettori sliced right through the field during the five furlongs of the Victor Chandler Handicap as Ahtoug collected as 7-4 favourite.
Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni said: ‘He was a little bit green, but Frankie said he liked him.
‘He showed a nice turn of foot and could get another furlong, but we have no real plans for him at the moment.’
