Scandinavia announced himself again with a straightforward triumph in the Bar 1 Betting Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on Saturday.

Aidan O’Brien’s Justify colt won both the Goodwood Cup and the St Leger last term, proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with at the top level over a staying trip.

Under Ryan Moore he was the 11/10 favourite when returning to action at listed level, and a length-and-a-quarter win saw him installed as the 2/1 favourite for the Gold Cup at Ascot.

O’Brien said: “That was lovely, Ryan was delighted with him, he said he was very comfortable throughout the race.

“He’s a big horse, very relentless and he’s always coming home. He’s by Justify and he has that big, long relentless stride.

“He always went like a Cup horse and Ryan thought the same there, so delighted really. He won’t over-race (himself) and that’s good really.”

Next up for Scandinavia is a race won by many of the great Irish stayers, including by Kyprios for the last two years.

The Ballydoyle trainer added: “The Saval Beg (at Leopardstown) is the plan, that is what we are thinking. In the Gold Cup you don’t know (about the two-and-a-half-mile trip), but we are looking forward to him. He has the class and it’s great to have him.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Moore and O'Brien teamed up to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes with odds-on shot Charles Darwin.

Winner of the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, the No Nay Never colt (full-brother to Blackbeard) was the 4/11 favourite to win this six-furlong contest and did so with authority under his penalty.

Amo Racing’s Tribeca is likely to be Royal Ascot bound after taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

After fetching 575,000gns as a yearling the Blue Point colt was sent to Robson De Aguiar, and was a 17/2 chance to make a winning debut under Donagh O’Connor over six furlongs.

He duly obliged when scoring by half a length from Barrow Boy, and is considered a Coventry prospect with the Royal meeting in mind. The odds-on Aidan O’Brien newcomer West Of Eden was only fourth.

De Aguiar said: “He’s a nice horse. He’s still babyish, he’s still green, and I don’t know how quick he is yet.

“He’s an end of April horse and he has a lot to improve. A big, strong horse and I’d say he has a bright future.

“He has a very good mentality for a Blue Point – he’s very relaxed, he does everything right, so I’m delighted with what he did today.”

Regarding future plans, the trainer added: “I’d say he’s kind of a Coventry horse, but I have to see how he goes after the race today. If he is ready to go to Ascot, we will try.

“I think we will go to the Curragh in a Group 3 before Ascot.”