Aidan O'Brien was arguably the least surprised person in attendance at Newmarket on Sunday when 25-1 shot Homecoming Queen won the Qipco 1000 Guineas.
That O'Brien landed the fillies' Classic was no shock, but most expected him to do it with the 13-8 favourite Maybe, ridden by his son, Joseph, and not Homecoming Queen, the mount of Ryan Moore.
In any event, Ballydoyle were left to toast another magical weekend after Camelot and Joseph O'Brien won the 2000 Guineas 24 hours earlier.
While Homecoming Queen's pedigree - she is closely related to Arc winner Dylan Thomas - suggests she should be winning Classics, her claims on the formbook were harder to spot.
Bounced into an early lead by Moore, she never saw another rival and recorded a nine-length victory over John Gosden's Starscope - the second-biggest winning margin ever in the 1000 Guineas.
Maybe came home third, with Gosden's other runner, The Fugue, fourth.
When asked if Homecoming Queen was running as a pacemaker, O'Brien answered: "Absolutely not. She was there running on her merits.
"She's a tough, hardy filly with a real pedigree and has been progressive all the way.
"Perhaps we didn't expect her to win quite like she did, but it was not a great surprise she did win.
"Joseph said beforehand that she was the one he feared most.
"Ryan says she'll stay further. She has a lot of options, but the boys will talk about that later in the week.
"She can go to the Irish Guineas or she can go anywhere - the Curragh, Ascot and Epsom are all in the mix. There are lot of options open to her now.
"She's a very progressive filly."
Moore, who was securing his first victory in the Newmarket fillies' Classic, said: "Aidan said she was very fit and very well.
"I thought I was going a stride too quick, but she just kept going.
"There's not much of her, but she tries very hard.
"She's very tough."
Gosden said of his pair: "I was thrilled with both my fillies, who will go further in time and will want a longer trip.
"They've run great but, unfortunately, The Fugue has been struck into on her hind leg and I hope she'll be OK.
"Starscope has run well and is a nice prospect."
Joseph O'Brien felt Maybe was perhaps lacking in race fitness.
He said: "She travelled into the race well but she just got a bit tired on the ground which is getting softer all the time."
There was a 30-minute delay to the start as the Charlie Hills-trained Gray Pearl got stuck underneath the stalls.
A decision was taken by racecourse vet Simon Waterhouse and Chris Hammond, the attending BHA veterinary officer, to put her down.
