Damysus made a sparkling return to action in the Betway Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.
The son of Frankel travelled powerfully throughout under James Doyle who brought the 7/4 favourite through to lead approaching The Dip.
And John and Thady Gosden’s charge, carrying a three-pound penalty, put the race to bed in a matter of strides, bounding three-and-three-quarter lengths clear of King's Gambit.
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The winning rider told ITV Racing: “We ran him in the Derby last season and it wasn’t not staying that got him beat that day, he got upset in the stalls, kicked the gate and had a nasty cut behind.
“I’ve always felt he’s quite quick, he travels powerfully. Last year he travelled strong but when he won the Darley here last year, he won but not as I hoped. But today he showed he’s got gears and John and Thady have done a fantastic job, minding him and bringing him on slowly.
“Hopefully it’s paying dividends. He’s a stronger horse and has been working like he might do something like this. It’s always nice when they back that up.”
John Gosden said: “He had done nice work at home, but that race will put him where you want him. He has done it well. I thought the Cambridgeshire winner would be the one to beat, but he has been training nicely.
“He is not a big horse, but he is more powerful now. I think, as James said, when he asked him to go, the acceleration was instant. He is a mature horse as a four-year-old. We will see where we go, but anything from a mile to a mile and a quarter is what James felt.
“That acceleration has always been there, but he is a stronger horse now, so he can put it together more as a four-year-old. He was idling a little bit out in front, but I couldn’t be more pleased with him
“He has won Group Threes, we will see what we can do in the Group Twos, then have a look at the Group Ones. I wouldn't be frightened of looking at a Prix d’Ispahan, or something like that. That wouldn’t be out of the question at all.
“You then get to Royal Ascot and you have a race like the Prince of Wales so we will see. The great thing is he has come out of winter quarters in good order. It was a bit of a calamity of a day for us (the Derby). He kicked the back of the gates, got very upset, cut his leg and was out for two months afterwards.
“It knocked him a bit mentally, but I think it was more the cut on the hind leg. He just lost it in the stalls and started trying to kick the back gates out, but once we got that all sorted with him he has been great since. He might wind up running with Ombudsman if they both get to the Prince of Wales’s. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the race.
“I think probably the easier mile and a quarter rather than the stiff mile and a quarter of Ascot is what this horse would enjoy, but we will have to see as it is a long way off. I wouldn’t run them against each other unless it was something like Royal Ascot.”
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