Showcasing tops the bill
Showcasing justified his home reputation with a dazzling display in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York, leaving trainer John Gosden dreaming of again tasting sprinting success.
The Khalid Abdullah-owned juvenile has been well touted in recent weeks, but connections have twice withdrawn him due to soft conditions.
However, with hooves loudly rattling on the Knavesmire, the 2-1 favourite was allowed to show his precociousness with a striking two-length triumph under Jimmy Fortune.
Bookmakers gave the colt quotes of around 20-1 for the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas, but Gosden believes his youngster is more in the mould of his sire Oasis Dream, whom he saddled to be champion sprinter in 2003.
Gosden said: "He is a lot like his father Oasis Dream - he is very laid back, the same build as him and certainly the best Oasis Dream I've had.
"He is very quick at home, yet he went to sleep a bit in the first half of the race.
"We will take the same route as his father and go for the Middle Park. He is a proper speed horse.
"If he wins that (Middle Park) well and the ground remains good for the Dewhurst we can debate that then.
"At this moment, this boy tells me his a sprinter, that's what he says right now."
Monsieur Chevalier's winning spree came to an end with his third-place finish, with trainer Richard Hannon's son and assistant Richard junior nominating the Middle Park as his next port of call.
The Hannon team did not leave empty handed on day two of the Ebor meeting though, with Shamwari Lodge (3-1) making amends for a reversal at Glorious Goodwood in the Win A Trip To Saratoga Races EBF Fillies' Handicap.
Askar Tau continued the revival of Marcus Tregoning's Kingwood House yard by grounding out success in the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup.
The Group Two event may have lacked strength in depth, but prolific winner Askar Tau added a touch of class and responded to a first-time visor to score under champion jockey Ryan Moore.
Royal And Regal looked every inch the winner inside the final two furlongs but found little under pressure, while Tregoning's 5-2 chance strode out down the centre of the course to take command and score by a length and a quarter.
Tregoning said: "I think he'll have to wear the visor again after that.
"He's a real grinder. The owner wanted to sell last spring and I said no way, there were definitely races to be won. I hope he can develop into a good Cup horse next season."
Star Rover provided a tribute to the capabilities of trainer David Evans as the 14-1 chance held off Mister Manannan in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes.
The juvenile was having his 11th start of the season under John Egan and had won his first race back on March 28.
Egan, who had driven over from Ireland having ridden at Killarney the previous evening, said: "They don't come much tougher than this fellow.
"It was a great effort to win a race like this considering how long he has been on the go."
Whispering Gallery showed plenty of guts as he made virtually all to land the RSA And Motability Stakes Handicap, with trainer Mark Johnston contemplating a Dubai campaign for the unexposed three-year-old.
Richard Hills was always prominent on the 4-1 chance and the pair bounded clear down the testing home run to leave 15-8 favourite Class Is Class trailing almost four lengths behind for second.
Johnston said: "He has won off 99 today so he'll have to go into Listed class now. In the past horses who need this sort of trip and with a similar rating have needed to go to the Dubai Carnival."
