HENRI Matisse (6/4 favourite) shortened to 12/1 for the 2000 Guineas after coming with a late dash to win the Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" Stakes on his seasonal return at Leopardstown.

Arizona Blaze (7/4) set a brisk pace in the seven-furlong Group 3, with Rock Of Cashel hot on his heels, while Ryan Moore settled the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite towards the back of the spread-out field. He had plenty of ground to make up when asked to quicken approaching the turn for home and had just one rival behind him approaching the two-furlong pole.

Gaining on the leaders, the bay ran on strongly between horses to lead close home, asserting by half a length on the line. Comanche Brave outran odds of 22/1 in second, while the longtime leader kept on in third.

The first two horses home were by Wootton Bassett, as are O’Brien’s leading 2000 Guineas hopes Twain and Expanded, who will head straight to Newmarket, according to their trainer. Which Guineas Henri Matisse will run in has yet to be decided, O’Brien added.

“You’d have to be very happy with him,” the Ballydoyle maestro commented. “Our horses are only doing half speeds at home; they haven’t been let down yet. Ryan said he’d definitely be more comfortable going a mile.

“He doesn’t want to get there early, anyway, because when he gets there, he waits. He did well there because there was a good gallop and he’s going to improve a good bit fitness-wise, I’d say.

“We couldn’t them all go to the Guineas first time out. They were probably only ready for a racecourse gallop rather than a run.”

Henri Matisse was last seen winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and previously finished second in the Group 1 National Stakes. Owned by Coolmore partners and Merriebelle Farm, he had won his first three starts as a juvenile, including a pair of Group 2s at the Curragh.