Henry Longfellow brushed aside his rivals to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his 4,000th career winner with an imperious display in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh.

The master of Ballydoyle was on the brink of the milestone following a fantastic four-timer on the opening day of the Irish Champions Festival, but was made to wait until the two-year-old showpiece on day two of the showpiece weekend to reach the landmark figure.

The race had looked like being a surprise showdown between Henry Longfellow and stablemate City Of Troy – who not only dominated the ante-post lists for this Group One event, but also next year’s Classics.

However, Henry Longfellow is also a talented operator in his own right and after the late defection of City Of Troy on account of the ground, Ryan Moore wasted little time switching mounts as the son of Dubawi demonstrated his class with a bloodless demolition.

Sent off the 10-11 favourite, the Futurity Stakes scorer travelled with supreme ease as outsider Cuban Thunder led along his Adrian Murray-trained stablemate Bucanero Fuerte on the front end.

As the field approached the two-furlong pole, Kevin Stott was already asking the Phoenix Stakes winner for maximum effort, whereas Moore and his high-class partner were only just warming up and with Bucanero Fuerte soon left in his wake, Henry Longfellow was allowed to give a glimpse of what is lurking under the bonnet as he sailed home to a five-length success over a running-on Islandsinthestream.

Paddy Power and Betfair make the winner 7-2 from 5s for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with both also going 6-1 from 8s for the Derby.

Bucanero Fuerte has further Group One riches and a crack at the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes in his sights following his impressive success in the Phoenix Stakes.

The Adrian Murray-trained youngster started off his racing career at the Curragh and following a fine effort in defeat when making the podium at Royal Ascot, he has dominated proceedings in two outings at the Kildare track of late.

A game winner of the Group Two Railway Stakes on his penultimate start, he took his form to the next level when tried in Group One company for the first time, storming clear of the opposition to register a commanding four-length success in the hands of Kevin Stott.

The son of Wootton Bassett is now set for a step up to seven furlongs back at the Curragh on September 10.

“He progressed well from the Railway thankfully and he still seems to be on an upward curve,” said Murray.

“It looks like it will be the National Stakes next, that will be our target at the minute. We think he could improve for stepping up an extra furlong. He hit the line very well the other day. You would be expecting improvement again.

“He’s made great progress right through the year. He’s improving physically and to look at him, he’s a bigger and stronger horse and has muscled up well. We are very happy with him.”

Bucanero Fuerte became the first horse since Siskin to win both the Railway and Phoenix Stakes and a bold showing up in trip on his next start will have connections beginning to dream of Classic success in 2024.

Murray added: “We will be thinking he should get a mile. For us it’s been a rollercoaster, because you start off winning your maiden and you are not expecting to go as well as we are going.

“If he keeps on improving, you have to be thinking next year he is going to be a nice horse and he should be a miler.

“He’s not your typical two-year-old and he’s a big, big horse. He’s a big, scopey horse and you would think he’s a three-year-old to look at him.

“It looks good moving forward and we are very happy with him. If he keeps on improving the way he is, he’ll definitely be stepping into the big races.”

Australian owner Nathan Bennett is eager to see if Warnie can honour the memory of Shane Warne when he attempts to continue spinning a web over his rivals in the juvenile ranks this summer.

It is 30 years since Warne shot to prominence when delivering the so-called ‘ball of the century’ to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Old Trafford Ashes test match, and as this year’s hotly-anticipated series heads to Manchester this week, Joseph O’Brien’s colt is attempting to keep the legacy of the Australian leg-spinning great burning brightly on the racecourse.

A 65,000 guineas buy earlier this year, he was immediately thrust into the spotlight when debuting in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot finishing three lengths adrift of the winner, Snellen, in ninth.

Although not disgraced in that first outing, he showed his true potential when his sights were lowered at Bellewstown recently, powering to a clear-cut victory by the best part of four lengths.

Connections are now eyeing a step up in grade for the son of Highland Reel who holds entries in both the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes (August 19) and Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (September 10) later in the season.

“He looks a nice colt in the making and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again,” said Bennett.

“I think he learnt a lot at Royal Ascot and ran a super race there. I know he was only ninth on paper, but it was a very good ninth having been hampered a little bit up the straight. He just couldn’t get any momentum and get a free run at a couple of stages so he could have pinched a length closer and that would have brought him into the placings.

“The other day, at Bellewstown, even though he got hampered for room a little bit, he put them away like a really good horse so he looks a pretty nice horse in the making.”

It is hoped Warnie will develop into a Classic contender in time, with Bennett also eyeing prizes back in Australia for the colt when his innings in Ireland comes to an end.

He also explained how the youngster came to be named after the late cricketing star, who had a passion for racing and was a winning team captain at the 2004 Shergar Cup.

Bennett continued: “In time we could possibly bring him to Australia which would be fantastic as there is great prize-money and there’s plenty of options for him. Once he has finished his three-year-old career overseas we can look at bringing him over.

“Hopefully Warnie is looking down on him and riding him home. He looks like he might be a really nice horse so hopefully he can do it for Warnie.

“I had to name him quickly because we bought him from the breeze-up sales and Joseph said you have got seven weeks to get it done.

“I just thought of a few names and thought seeing as Warnie did his best work in the UK in the summer, and with the Ashes being on, why not name him after the great man and see if he can do his best which he is starting to do.”

Bennett’s colours have also been spotted in the UK under the Bennett Racing moniker, with both Southern Hemisphere raider The Astrologist and Ardakan on display for the Australian operation at Royal Ascot.

Ardakan is in the care of Marco Botti and has been gelded following his below-par showing in the Hardwicke Stakes in anticipation of a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor on August 26, something which connections hope could lead to a triumphant return to Australia and a crack at the Melbourne Cup.

“He kind of turned colty at Royal Ascot and kind of lost the plot a bit, so we’ve gelded him, Bennett explained.

“We thought that was the best option to make him a racehorse. If you watch the replay, the only filly in the field he just wanted to sit with and didn’t want to go past her, so it probably makes a bit of sense and Marco also said he was showing signs of being colty.

“We’ve gelded him and we’re going to head towards the Ebor with the aim of getting him in the Melbourne Cup.

“I think they are going to use a 3lb claimer and we’ll see how we go. He was running very well in some good races out in Dubai and they are all entitled to a bad run. Sometimes once you geld them it can turn things around and I’m hoping that will be the case.”