Changingoftheguard (10-3) gave Aidan O'Brien a perfect 10th victory in the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes on the opening day of the Boodles Chester May Festival to book his ticket to Epsom.
Under Ryan Moore, who was securing a treble on the day on the Roodee, the Galileo colt went straight to the front and was never headed as odds-on favourite New London could never get near him in the Group Three feature.
It was a 25th victory for trainer O'Brien in these Classic Trials on the Roodee and following Thoughts of June's earlier success in the Cheshire Oaks, Changingoftheguard has enhanced the Irish maestro's Cazoo Derby hand.
The Ballydoyle handler already has Luxembourg, who ran a fine Derby trial in third behind Coroebus in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, as the current 2-1 favourite with most firms for Epsom glory on June 4.
Now Changingoftheguard is as low as 8-1 with the likes of Paddy Power and Skybet for the Derby. O'Brien won the Chester Vase with subsequent Epsom hero Ruler Of The World in 2013 as well as future Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach.
While Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby won the first big clash of racing's superpowers with Coreobus's fine victory at Newmarket, it was Coolmore shining on the Roodee and putting down markers for the Epsom Classics next month.
Appleby's previously unbeaten New London was sent off the warm 4-11 favourite, but he was never able to get to Changingoftheguard who led from start to finish and scored by an impressive six-and-a-half-lengths from the market leader.
Changingoftheguard's previous best effort in three juvenile starts was when a neck second to stable-mate River Thames at Punchestown in September. But having broken his maiden tag at Dundalk, he stepped up again on that and looks a smart prospect.
He will join Luxembourg in what will be another typically strong O'Brien team at Epsom.
O'Brien said: "He was impressive there and we always thought he'd stay well.
"He was just chinned in his maiden at Punchestown before he then went and won his maiden really well at Dundalk.
"There was no doubt on our part that he would take a step forward from that and improve for going up in trip.
"The one thing we weren't sure about today was the ground when it rained as he's such a fluid mover, but he seems to have handled it fine.
"We were delighted with the run and I think off the back of that, you'd have to say he'd go to Epsom now."
Alex Merriam, Appleby's assistant, had no excuses for New London's defeat. He said: "William (Buick) said he never felt happy.
"We're not blaming the ground or the track, there's not much we can say really.
"This is what trials are all about, we'll see what happens, he was just beaten by a better horse today."
Buick said: "No excuses, he's got a lot to learn."
Thoughts Of June (7-1) just held on to win the Listed Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Cheshire Oaks (For the Robert Sangster Memorial Cup).
Aidan O'Brien's filly broke her maiden tag in the Listed contest, just scoring from 5-4 favourite Above The Curve by a neck.
Having been beaten by Above The Curve, trained by O'Brien's son Joseph, in a 1m2f maiden at Leopardstown last month the daughter of Galileo got first run on her rival at Ryan Moore kicked for home a long way out.
And the step up to 1m4f suited Thoughts Of June as she held on. Andrew Balding's Typewriter (9-1) was a further three-and-three-quarters-of-a-length back in third.
Much like her name, connections' thoughts will turn to next month and the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, for which she was cut to as low as 10-1 with Coral, although she was still available at 16-1 with Paddy Power (from 66-1).
Stable-mate Tuesday, who was third to Cachet in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, is the current 4-1 favourite with most bookmakers.
The winner and the runner-up are part-owned by the Coolmore triumvirate of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.
Coolmore's UK representative, Kevin Buckley, said of Thoughts Of June: "I think we have to be thinking of Epsom. Aidan will have a chat with the owners, which include our partners Moyglare Stud, but I think on that performance we'd have to head to Epsom.
"Aidan always felt that stepping her up in trip would be to her liking, he thought she'd handle it here round the bends and Ryan was very happy.
"We made plenty of use of her last time at Leopardstown, so that was always the plan to do that today but she's fairly versatile I would imagine.
"We'll have to see what else happens in the trials. We were very happy with Tuesday in the Guineas and she seems to have come out of it well. We're looking forward to June."
O'Brien added: "We've always liked her a lot and I loved her run the first day back at Leopardstown behind Joseph's filly.
"I thought she'd come forward from that and she clearly did.
"She got a great ride from Ryan and they are obviously two very good fillies as Joseph's ran a great race too.
"We'd been thinking of the Oaks for her and that was the reason for sending her to Chester, to see if she'd handle it and it was going to teach her plenty.
"I haven't had chance to speak to Ryan but she seemed to handle the ground fine and seems versatile."
David Loughnane's Absolutelyflawless (6-1) won the opener, the ICM Stellar Sports Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes, on the Roodee and could head to next month's Royal Ascot.
Absolutelyflawless maintained her unbeaten record with a fine victory in the five-furlong sprint under Laura Pearson following on from her debut success at Southwell last month.
Despite being slowly away, Pearson was happy to keep the two-year-old daughter or Ribchester sat off the early pace set by the odds-on favourite Star Of Lady M. But as she faded, Absolutelyflawless came up the gap on the inside rail to score cosily by a length-and-a half from Ocean Cloud (11-2).
Trainer Loughnane said: "That was just what we wanted to see. We knew she'd be slowly away and Laura thought there'd be loads of pace on and she was right.
"She's quite a smart filly, when the gap opened up she was going well enough to take it.
"I wasn't sure about the ground but she's a tough filly and obviously handled it.
"Today was the plan. We can have a think about Ascot and everything. A stiff five furlongs at Ascot, I wouldn't be afraid of it."
Of the runner-up Ocean Cloud, trainer Gay Kelleway said: "We were beaten by the ground, she wants it quick. She'll still go to Ascot before she goes to America."
Live The Dream (11-8 favourite) won the five-furlong tote.co.uk Free Chester Placepot Every Day Handicap and Epsom trainer Adam West may pitch him in with the older sprinter in the Dash at his local track next month.
He won at Sandown off a handicap mark of 92 just under two weeks ago and quickly followed up. Jockey Ryan Moore got to the rail from stall two and eventually scored by two-and-a-quarter-lengths from Nymphadora (11-2).
West said: "He was very game. I was concerned about going around a bend today as I wasn't sure if he could hit top speed early enough, as his early pace is his strongest weapon.
"When he goes up in grade, I'd like to think we might have a little bit more to play with. I was losing sleep over the rain but we got away with it on fresh ground - a couple of races later and we might not have.
"Steve and Jolene (De'Lemos, owners) are keen to see him in the Dash. I'm not so keen to take on older horses with a three-year-old, but being on home turf and that being such a prestigious race as an Epsom trainer, we'll see. His brother will go there (Live In The Moment) and I wouldn't like to split them."
Ever Given (11-8 favourite) blitzed his rivals to land the Deepbridge Handicap for trainer Hugo Palmer, his first success on the Roodee since replacing Tom Dascombe at trainer at Michael Owen's Manor House stables in Cheshire.
The former Liverpool FC and England striker was delighted to see his new trainer get off to the perfect start at his local track.
The three-year-old is a course and distance winner and also won a big pot at York's Ebor meeting last year. And despite giving weight all round, Ever Given broke well from stall two in the six-furlong contest under Danny Tudhope. And he dictated the race from the front, breaking well clear of his rivals on the turn for home and scoring by four-and-three-quarters-of-a-length from Tolstoy (10-1) with Lucky Man (12-1) a head back in third.
For Owen, who went to great trouble to persuade Palmer to make the move north, it was great to have a winner at Chester.
He said: "We came here with low expectations as Hugo is still getting to know the horses but to get one on the board and in that fashion, we're delighted.
"He had a nice draw and Danny (Tudhope) kept it simple, so off top weight that's a nice performance.
"It's great to get off the mark here so early but I've not employed a kid, I've employed someone who has been there and done it. This is for the long-term, however, to have the start we've had is super."
Owen has been working as a pundit for BT Sportcoverage of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final victory over Villarreal on Tuesday evening and he did not leave Spain until the early hours. He added: "My alarm went at 3.30am, I had to fly to Charles De Gaulle as if I'd flown direct it wasn't getting me here until 1pm and I'd have missed the first couple of races.
"I'll be knackered in a couple of hours but I'm all right now. We've Mr McCann running tomorrow too."
Mr McCann is owned by the AJT Group which is made up of five Liverpool's quarduple-chasing stars (James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin and Andy Robertson) as well as former Red, Brighton's Adam Lallana. The three-year-old run in the Dee Stakes on the second day of the May Festival.
Owen added: "Obviously the Liverpool lads have had other things on their minds of late, but they have been down the yard to see him recently. I do know that when I was a playing racing was a big release.
"Now the game is over I'm sure they'll be tuning in, but with the games coming thick and fast, it's inevitable they can't get to the racedays. They have been down to the yard a couple of times and seem like they are enjoying it.
"Just to have a runner in a race like the Dee Stakes with your first horse is some achievement and if he runs well, then the dream is still alive."
