THE draw issue seems to have followed John Gosden from Longchamp to Ascot. After the we-expected-a-wide-draw-and-we-got-a-wide-draw banter from Paris, with Golden Horn overcoming stall 14 to post a famous victory, Gosden surmised during the week that he hoped he didn’t get a wide draw for Jack Hobbs in today’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot. And guess what?

Interestingly, statistically, a wide draw over 10 furlongs at Ascot is not the disadvantage that you might think it is. Also, with Jack Hobbs in stall 12 of 13, if there is one horse you want drawn outside you, it is your front-running stable-companion. Again, guess what?