Dylan Thomas staked his Epsom claims with a convincing display in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown.
The son of Danehill raced prominently throughout in the Group 2 contest and was sent on by Seamus Heffernan turning for home.
He stayed on stoutly inside the final furlong, as stable-mate Mountain emerged to throw down a challenge, keeping at his task well to score by a length-and-a-half.
The winner is expected to improve from his seasonal reappearance and William Hill reacted to the performance by cutting his price for the Derby from 16/1 to 10/1.
Heffernan completed a quick double for Ballydoyle when Queen Cleopatra ran out a game winner of the Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial.
The Kingmambo filly hit the front early in the straight and kept on well, when challenged by Modeeroch inside the final furlong, to score by three quarters-of-a-length.
The concluding Listed Amethyst Stakes produced a great finish with four battling it out inside the final furlong.
Noel Meade's charge Arch Rebel finished best up the rails, under Johnny Murtagh, to prevail by half-a-length from Hard Rock City. Lord Admiral was another half-length back in third.
Phoenix Ice (6/4f) was well-supported in the opening two-year-old maiden but found Hammers Boy too strong in the closing stages as Tommy Stack's colt got up close home to score by half-a-length.
The Eddie Lynam-trained Medico proved too strong for the Ballydoyle pair of Grafton Street and Benjamin Franklin in the Carrickmines Maiden.
Top-weight Good Surprise was produced with a well-timed run to make a winning return in the Milltown Handicap while Mooretown Boy just held the late lunge of Monteriggioni in the Glencullen Handicap.
