Trawlerman made every yard of the running in the Gold Cup to go one better than last year for John and Thady Gosden in the Royal Ascot highlight.
Second to Kyprios 12 months ago, the Godolphin-owned seven-year-old took full advantage of the dual winner's retirement under an excellently-judged ride from William Buick.
Illinois, who had stepped into Kyprios' shoes for Aidan O'Brien, was well placed if good enough, but inside the final furlong Trawlerman (85-40 favourite) began to pull away and ran out an impressive seven-length winner. Dubai Future was third for Saeed bin Suroor in the Godolphin colours
O'Brien feels there is room for improvement in the staying division with Illinois.
Illinois looked bound for the Coronation Cup at Epsom following his winning reappearance in Chester’s Ormonde Stakes, but Jan Brueghel successfully stepped in to fill that void, meaning Illinois was asked to run over a full mile further in Berkshire and he found Kyprios’ old rival Trawlerman too strong.
O’Brien said: "We thought Illinois would be a Gold Cup horse next year and obviously the plan was Kyprios would come here this year and Illinois would step up next year.
"The plan was for him to go to the Coronation and I was training him as a good mile-and-a-half horse, and then when Kyprios retired we switched him to this race.
"We have to be happy with the run and he had a lovely preparation the last day. Maybe if we knew he was coming here straight away, we might of had him going earlier and maybe lighter."
While Illinois was seemingly put in his place by Trawlerman, O’Brien would not shirk a potential rematch in the Goodwood Cup, adding: "He might go to Goodwood and meet this horse again and I would imagine he will progress again then.
"He got tired at the two-furlong pole today, like a lot of horses do, and we will see if we can improve him another little bit for this distance.
"It shows how good Kyprios was as Trawlerman had been second to him a couple of times, I think."
Illinois was beaten seven lengths by Trawlerman and was a further seven lengths clear of Saeed bin Suroor’s Dubai Future in third.
"He did well and he stayed. I put a hood and cheekpieces on him which made him nice and relaxed in the race," said bin Suroor.
"James (McDonald) gave him a good ride and he’s tough – he’s a horse who at nine years old is still young at heart. He’s doing really well and we are very happy with him.
"I think we will go to Goodwood next. The winner is a good horse, but I am pleased with my horse’s run."
The disappointment of the race was perhaps French raider Candelari, who had won four of his five previous starts for Francis Henri-Graffard but was a well-beaten sixth on this occasion.
Graffard said: "He was travelling nicely when the pace was fine but when the winner started to quicken and upped the pace, my horse was quite surprised.
"To come here in this type of race, they need the experience. In France they don’t learn an awful lot as they crawl in races then sprint. This horse has a great turn of foot but he can’t use his turn of foot in a race like that over that distance.
"He gained a lot of experience there and he is only four and still improving, but it is still disappointing. I need to learn and think how I can get him better to be competitive.
"I think he is still an exciting stayer, as you saw from his win in France, but today was a different game over a very long distance.
"I have a lot of faith in him and six months ago he hadn’t seen a racecourse, so he has come a long way in a short space of time."
Charles Darwin enhanced his already lofty reputation with a dominant front-running victory in the Norfolk Stakes.
A full-brother to a top-class two-year-old in Blackbeard, the imposing Aidan O'Brien-trained son of No Nay Never finished fourth on his Curragh debut but had since impressed with victories at Navan and Naas.
Those who sent him off at odds of 8-13 will have had few concerns, with Charles Darwin soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore, finding plenty once challenged and going away at the line to readily account for Wise Approach and Sandal’s Song.
"He’s lovely, Ryan always loved him and everyone always loved him at home," said O’Brien.
"He’s a big, powerful, strong horse. He really looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds.
"I didn’t know if Ryan was going to make the running or drop him in, but he decides that. He always thought he had loads left with the way he came on the bridle.
"He’s very quick, a big and mature physical and everyone who rides him says he has a very good mind as well – he’s very exciting.
"We were hoping he would get a lead as he never sees the front at home, he’s very strong and very quick."
Garden Of Eden continued her progress to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record sixth victory in the Ribblesdale Stakes.
The Ballydoyle handler saddled three runners in the Group Two contest, with Ryan Moore siding with Garden Of Eden (7-1), who struggled in successive Group races in the spring but raised her game to claim a Listed prize at Naas on her most recent appearance.
Island Hopping was deployed in a pacesetting role, but her early exertions took their toll from the home turn, while Garden Of Eden galloped on powerfully up the straight to score by three and a quarter lengths from Understudy, with 2-1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio back in third.
Tom Marquand extricated himself from a difficult position to win the King George V Stakes on Merchant for William Haggas.
Drawn in stall 20, Marquand had chosen to drop in behind horses while Ryan Moore on Serious Contender, who was also posted out wide, opted to go forward.
Moore was still in front as they entered the final furlong but Merchant picked up well to defy an 8lb rise for winning at York last time out and justify 3-1 favouritism by a length, with Pantile Warrior a further neck back in third.
"It was difficult to watch because all I was watching was the time per furlong and they set off like scalded cats," said Haggas.
"I then thought they hadn't gone fast enough because in every race this week on the round track, they’ve gone so fast and everything has come off the speed.
"He was plenty far back and I knew when he turned for home he’d be able to sit a bit, I knew he’d come home. I was really pleased with him.
"You hope (they are good enough). He’s clearly progressive and I’m afraid I don’t know how far he will go. It’s extremely exciting."
