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CANFORD CLIFFS obliterated his rivals in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh, dismissing the opposition with perhaps this season's most impressive three-year-old performance.
Richard Hughes had said that Canford Cliffs was "electric" before the Guineas, but even he must have been surprised by the ease with which the Richard Hannon-trained 9-4 favourite took this Classic. 

The writing was on the wall by the halfway stage, when Xtension took up the running and jockeys across the Curragh set to work on their mounts. All bar one, that is. Hughes was statuesque aboard Canford Cliffs, exuding confidence as his mount picked off rivals one by one.
Then the contest was over in an instant. With the race at his mercy, Hughes stopped toying and let Canford Cliffs go. The response was immediate and although Steinbeck, who was sat just behind, tried to go with him, the Aidan O'Brien horse could no sooner swim the Irish Sea than track Canford Cliffs in this blistering form. There can be no more arguing that Canford Cliffs, whose stamina was questioned after he finished third in the Newmarket Guineas, does not stay a mile.
Richard Hannon jnr said: "That was super. We wanted to get him settled and he's won pretty much as he liked.
"He’s the best best we've ever had. To win a Guineas like that was something else. The St James’s Palace stakes will be next for him."
This three-length defeat of Free Judgement suggests the winner has improved markedly from Newmarket, where he beat Xtension by just a length, compared to the gulf that separated them on this occasion.
And the three-year-old colts division, which had looked of dubious quality a few days ago, might just have found a genuine star performer.
Canford Cliffs is now likely to meet his Newmarket Guineas conquerer Makfi in the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot, for which Boylesports make him a 5-2 chance to gain revenge
Asked about that clash, Hughes said: "The French horse is very good, but I think I have the key to Canford Cliffs.
"[At Newmarket] I got him to sleep but couldn'twake him up. Today he was electric."
Jim Bolger, trainer of runner-up Free Judgement, said: "I was really pleased with his run. He has shown improvement and could be a horse for Royal Ascot."
O'Brien said fourth-placed Steinbeck would probably go to the St James's Palace, while Viscount Nelson, who ran an excellent race to finish third, could head for the French Derby.
He said: “The visor has made a big difference [to Viscount Nelson] and helped him concentrate today.
“I’m delighted with the performance [of Steinbeck] after that layoff. He finished his race very well and was having a good blow after the race. The St James’s Palace is a likely next step.”
About Fencing Master, who finished tenth, O'Brien said: "The vets said he came back clinically abnormal."
British domination of the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes continued as Markab travelled powerfully on the front end throughout to win in style at the Curragh.
The Henry Candy-trained seven-year-old was always in the ideal position and found plenty for Pat Cosgrave when asked to really quicken a furlong out. Snaefell gave chase but the 100-30 favourite was never in any danger.
Cosgrave said: "I thought he looked a lot better today than the last day, he clocked a very quick time at Thirsk and I thought he had improved about 5lb or 7lb for the run so I hoped he would go well."
The rider went on: "I thought he had a good chance, we wouldn't have brought him here otherwise, he had a nice prep at Thirsk and that entitled him to be here."
Tom Gould of the Tight Lines Partnership added: "He is a relatively lightly-raced horse and we haven't overfaced him. He is entered in the King's Stand and if he goes to Ascot, that is where he will go."
Shamwari Lodge made it three out of three for the season with a stylish performance in the TRI Equestrian Stakes for the unstoppable Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes partnership.
Just 35 minutes after landing the 2000 Guineas with Canford Cliffs, Hughes adopted different tactics on the four-year-old filly and made most of the running.
Luca Cumani's Annabelle's Charm and Patrick Martin's Indiana Gal fought out the battle for minor honours, with the latter coming off best, but the winner had long gone and won by an eased-down length and a half.
Aidan O'Brien appears to have another nice prospect on his hands as Samuel Morse (9-4 favourite) overcame trouble in running to land the Listed T P Waters Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh.
A winner on heavy on his debut, he was faced with an altogether quicker surface for his second start. Previous winners Moment Of Weakness and Lightening Thief took the field along at a really good clip but Johnny Murtagh was sat motionless in behind.
However, when Kevin Manning kicked for home on Jim Bolger's Purple Glow, Murtagh had nowhere to go and had two lengths to make up. The son of Danehill Dancer quickened up impressively when the gap came, though, and in the end won cosily by a neck.
So Stylish, a stablemate of the winner, ran on for third and O'Brien said: "I'm delighted with the two of them. We'll have a look at the Coventry next for Samuel Morse and So Stylish could go for the Albany. They've broken a minute there and that is unusual for them to do that here.
"He's a big powerful horse and he won very easily over five on his debut so we decided to keep him at that trip as he's not short of speed. He's got a very good action so we thought better ground would suit him."
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