Dermot Weld's ever-popular Famous Name landed the first Group Two race of his illustrious career in the Keeneland Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh.
The seven-year-old, a veteran in Flat Pattern-race terms, was winning for the 19th time and all but his maiden success have been at either Listed or Group Three level.
Previously whenever Famous Name (even money) had stepped above Group Three level he had just come up short, most notably when he was narrowly beaten in the French Derby way back in 2008 by Vision D'Etat.
Pat Smullen has been on board the Khalid Abdullah-owned entire for all bar one of his 36 starts.
John Oxx's Irish Derby runner-up Born To Sea was expected to give him plenty to do but that one never settled and Famous Name eased to victory by six and a half lengths.
"He is an amazing horse," said Weld.
"He is a wonderful tribute to his owner and his breeding operation.
"He is a seven-year-old and has been in training for six years. His enthusiasm for racing and his courage is what a racehorse should be all about.
"I will speak to Lord Grimthorpe and Khalid Abdullah and see where he'll go next. You can see he is in great form."
Pedro The Great (10-1) won an eventful renewal of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes for Aidan O'Brien, who was also on the Group One mark with Excelebration in France.
The drama began in the parade ring with Lottie Dod unshipping Johnny Murtagh who was stood down for the rest of the day and was taken for facial X-rays. He was replaced by Smullen.
Then with two furlongs to run Cristoforo Colombo, a stablemate of the winner, appeared to clip heels with Probably and came down. Thankfully both the horse and rider, Joseph O'Brien, walked away from the incident although O'Brien senior did report that Cristoforo Colombo had a cut to a leg.
Seamie Heffernan avoided all the trouble on Pedro The Great, keeping wide throughout before coming away to win comfortably by two and three-quarter lengths from Leitir Mor.
"He won his maiden very impressively. He was a bit fresh the last day and we decided to take our time with him today and he settled well.," said O'Brien.
"He won't mind stepping up to seven furlongs and it's quite possible he will come back here for the National Stakes."
O'Brien's former Group One-winning sprinter Starspangledbanner was tailed off on his comeback from an unsuccessful stud career in the Patrick P. OLeary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
The race was fought out by Gordon Lord Byron and Fire Lily (5-2) with the latter swooping late to prevail by half a length under Wayne Lordan.
"Although she was seventh in the July Cup the form of that race has worked out well," said Wachman.
"She's done it well today, despite the ground, and she is lovely consistent filly and could come back here next month for the Renaissance Stakes."
Earlier on the card Oxx's 2-5 favourite Harasiya was beaten in the Keeneland Debutante Stakes by My Special J's (12-1).
The two had met previously with the favourite winning comfortably but Pat Shanahan's filly turned the form around in the Group Two, winning by a neck for Colm O'Donoghue.
"I knew she was in super form, and she did a bit of work yesterday morning that I was thrilled with. I felt she had definitely come on 7lb, although I wasn't happy to see the rain," said Shanahan.
"We will give her a little break now as she has had three hard races, and she will probably go for the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp (on Arc day)."
The opening Foleys Antiques European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden could prove informative for the future with the winner, Starbight, set to contest a Group One.
Having finished second twice previously she held off the debutante Harmonic Note, who ran a race full of promise for Ger Lyons.
Kevin Prendergast said of the 11-4 joint-favourite: "She'll be better when she gets better ground.
"She travelled well throughout the race today and she will be back here for her next race in the Moyglare Stakes."
