Hitting the ground running has not quite been the style of Aidan O'Brien at Royal Ascot in recent seasons - but an opening-day double at this year's meeting swiftly changed such an approach.
Having failed to saddle a winner on the first day of the meeting for the past two seasons, there might have been a few willing to discount runners saddled by the master Ballydoyle trainer on Tuesday, given his recent trend of starting the event slowly and finishing with a flourish.
However, those willing to ignore the statistics and follow the man that has dominated proceedings on the biggest stages in Britain were well rewarded, to set what the nine-times leading trainer at Ascot will be hoping is a theme that will continue throughout the rest of the meeting.
After watching Arizona and Ryan Moore leap to the head of the market for next year's 2000 Guineas with victory in the Coventry Stakes, O'Brien pulled off what looked a real masterstroke when dropping Derby also-ran Circus Maximus back to a mile to capture the St James's Palace Stakes.
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"I was thrilled with him in the Lockinge and his preparations have gone fine," said Stoute.
"He is impervious to ground conditions which is very handy, and we are hopeful."
Owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold added: "It surprised me how easily he won the Lockinge.
"He's had so many niggling problems down the years. Some don't come back from that mentally, but he's got the right attitude. He's a fine, big horse and some of those (problems) might have been down to immaturity.
"Sir Michael's team weren't as surprised as I was and they see him every day. If he runs to that level again he's the one to beat, but it was Laurens' first run and there are other good horses in there."
Barney Roy won this race in 2017 in fine style but struggled to build on that the following season. The Charlie Appleby-trained horse has however shown recently signs of improvement at Ascot and Longchamp, France, in his preparation so should be given serious consideration.
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