Folsom Blues ran out a convincing winner of the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh.
Late market support saw Folsom Blues sent off 11/2 at on his step back up to seven furlongs after finishing behind Sun Goddess - an impressive winner herself earlier on the card - over six, the same position he'd filled behind Florida Bay in the Tyros Stakes prior to that.
That rival had the lead against the rail, tracked by Ryan Moore aboard Giant Sequoia, and with Trean on his outside. Haffner was in the next rank, followed by Folsom Blues with Porto Vechhio, Dr Rascal and 9/4 favourite Monogram bringing up the rear.
Florida Bay had no more to offer on the front end and his two better fancied stablemates failed to pick up as Trean was left in the lead but Joey Sheridan exuded confidence aboard Folsom Blues who made his ground easily onto the heels of the leader.
In contrast, Dr Rascal appeared to be treading water and the impressive maiden winner Monogram was making heavy weather of bridging the gap on the testing ground.
Only one outcome looked likely from about two furlongs from home and the race was over very quickly when Sheridan asked his mount to put the race to bed with Folsom Blues quickening impressively to win by six lengths.
Monogram ran on for second, finishing a length and a quarter clear of Florida Bay, to complete a one-two for trainer Joseph O'Brien.
Trean held on for fourth ahead of Dr Rascal who stuck to his task and made some late gains.
Folsom Blues was cut to 10/1 from 33/1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May by both Paddy Power and Sky Bet, leaving him as the second favourite behind Saturday's impressive Doncaster winner Desert Castle.
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It was a first Group 1 winner in Ireland and the second of his career for Sheridan who spoke to Racing TV after the race.
"When he relaxes he's a fair jet," he said.
"I've known him since riding him as a yearling. Early on, at the start of the year, he just wanted to please and do things a bit much and Dylan [Browne McMonagle] has done some job with him and Joseph, it's some training performance, what he's done with that horse is brilliant.
"To bring him back over six in the Phoenix risked lighting him up a little bit but the last two weeks he's just relaxed and I was quite confident. He leaves no stone unturned and to ride a Group 1 winner for him is just brilliant.
"I didn't want to kick him into gear too soon and I knew they were stopping in front of me but I do know how good Monogram is and I knew Colin [Keane] was going to be stalking me so I was kind of half judging it as I didn't want to give him a lead to the half furlong pole either but when I went for my lad and I took a look up at the big screen and could see he wasn't coming, I was delighted."
O'Brien was pleased with the performance of both of his runners saying, "We thought we were coming here with two really nice colts and the winner looked really, really good today.
"We've had a big opinion of the horse all along and he got it all together today. The drop back to six was a big thing to ask him and he ran great and he loved going back to seven.
"The Dewhurst would be an obvious stepping stone [for his next start]. We had America in the back of our minds as well before today so I suppose it will be along those lines."
Both Folsom Blues and Monogram are now priced at 8/1 for the Dewhurst Stakes by Paddy Power and Sky Bet and O'Brien remained upbeat about the the prospects for the runner-up.
"I thought it was a great run," he said of Monogram. "He showed a little bit of inexperience in the middle of the race but he hit the line really strong and he's very exciting for the future."
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