Aidan O'Brien went one better than his late, great namesake Vincent when Cape Blanco gave the present Ballydoyle incumbent a record sixth success in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Irish Derby hero - a distant second to Harbinger in the King George last time out - blew away his five rivals, which were headed by his stablemate and odds-on favourite, the Johnny Murtagh-ridden Rip Van Winkle.

The 6-1 shot ran the field into the ground under an enterprising ride by Seamie Heffernan, who set a scorching pace and kicked on as they turned into the straight to bolt in by five and a half lengths.

Rip Van Winkle got up in the shadow of the post to grab second place from Henry Cecil's Twice Over in a bunch finish for the minor honours.

Heffernan said: "When we went past the four pole I was getting into a rhythm and I thought he would be hard to beat. He stays well and has a great cruising speed. If I'd had the choice I'd have ridden Rip Van Winkle, so it's a good job I don't have any choices!"

O'Brien added: "Seamus gave Cape Blanco a great ride and got the horse into a great rhythm. He's a very good horse and we always thought 10 furlongs on nice ground would be his best, and that's what he had.

"He's a big, strong, powerful horse with loads of speed and class. He's progressing and maturing with every week that goes by. He is more a 10-furlong horse than a mile-and-a-half horse. Realistically, his courage made him last out the mile-and-a-half trip in the Irish Derby.

"He moves brilliantly and has lots of options now, including the English Champion Stakes and the Breeders' Cup in America."

Regarding Rip Van Winkle, O'Brien remarked: "Rip is a real miler with lots of speed who just about gets 10 furlongs. We had to take our time and relax him today and Johnny felt the ground was plenty on the slow side for him too. He won't mind going back to a mile."

Cecil said of Twice Over: "He didn't seem to quite pick up as we expected him to, but he wouldn't have beaten the winner. Maybe he is better on faster ground. The Champion Stakes at Newmarket is still on the agenda and maybe the Dubai World Cup."