CURRAGH REPORT:THERE APPEARS to be no stopping the Aidan O'Brien bandwagon as, only 24 hours after the victory of Duke Of Marmalade at Ascot, Mastercraftsman notched up the trainer's 15th Group One victory of the year.

The son of Danehill Dancer landed the Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in fine style, and in the process was promoted to the head of the betting for next year's 2,000 Guineas.

After his four-and-a-half-length demolition of Michael Bell's Coventry Stakes winner Art Connoisseur, prices range from as low as 5 to 1 with totesport and Blue Square to 8 to 1 with Ladbrokes.

Johnny Murtagh said of the 4 to 1 chance, who drifted like a barge in the market beforehand: "Aidan said to me during week the horse was ready for today. He's coming on all the time, and although he had a hard race the last day he probably needed it."

O'Brien is keen to drop Duke Of Marmalade back to a mile and a quarter after his thrilling success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Any doubts about the four-year-old staying the extra two furlongs in the mile-and-a-half mid-summer highlight were quashed as Murtagh's mount battled hard to fend off Papal Bull by half a length.

However, the master of Ballydoyle hinted the 4 to 6 favourite would next be seen over a shorter trip. "We will discuss plans this week at home, but I would prefer to drop him back to a mile and quarter for races like the Juddmonte International," said the trainer.