AIDAN O’Brien has won the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes three times in the last decade with winners of the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, so Henri Matisse must be considered a major player for the Irish Champions Festival Group 1 after quickening up smartly to maintain his unbeaten record at the Curragh.

Ryan Moore took his time on the Wootton Bassett colt, who had previously won a maiden here and the Group 2 Railway Stakes, and he proved he had no problems with stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time.