Native Trail was cut to 5-1 favorite (from 10) for the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) by Paddy Power after a convincing performance in the Sept. 12 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) Sept. 12, giving Newmarket trainer Charlie Appleby his third winner in the last four runnings of the group 1 race at the Curragh.
The unbeaten son of Oasis Dream was entering the lion's den as he was taking on another unbeaten colt in 8-13 Ballydoyle-trained Point Lonsdale , but he emerged with the lion's dinner.
He went away impressively inside the last furlong under William Buick to win by 3 1/2 lengths, with game Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) winner Ebro River half a length away in third.
Appleby, who won the race with Quorto in 2018 and the brilliant Pinatubo the following year, said: "It was always the plan after he won the bet365 Superlative Stakes (G2) to come here.
"People questioned why we didn't go for a race like the Champagne Stakes (G2), but I didn't feel that carrying a penalty there on potential soft ground at Doncaster was going to suit him.
"I think this is a great race to be involved in and it's a great weekend to be involved with. To win another National Stakes is very satisfying."
He added: "He's an interesting horse to be around. I took him to a gallop at Newmarket two weeks ago, and if you asked me then would he win a National Stakes I might have been a bit more on the fence, but he came on an awful lot for that and full credit to the team at home.
"We put a cross-noseband on him too. William said that he was just so green, it was like going to post on an unraced maiden. Two furlongs out, I'm not sure I thought he would win, but I knew he would gallop out strong."
Paddy Power cut the colt to 7-4 favorite (from 6) for next month's Darley Dewhurst Stakes (G1), and Appleby said: "I reckon he'll go straight there; it's a tried and trusted route. I don't know if he's quite got the head for a Breeders' Cup at the moment.
"As for the ground, it wasn't testing out there, but he's a heavy-topped horse and a bit of juice in the ground wouldn't hurt. I think he's versatile enough to adapt to both."
For Aidan O'Brien and the no longer unbeaten Point Lonsdale, it was a setback on a mixed weekend at best for the stable, but the champion trainer was not totally downhearted.
He said: "I thought he ran well; he did everything right. We've always thought that he will be lot happier going a mile and he will be a middle-distance horse for next year.
"He ran a brave race; the winner had a bit more pace than us on the day. He was beaten by a good horse. We've no definite plans but it's a possibility that he won't run again this season."