SAXON Warrior, Roaring Lion and Masar have built up a rivalry that could progress to define this flat season. All three contested the 2000 Guineas, all three contested the Derby and all three nearly contested the Eclipse, the late defection of Masar a real shame. But now each of the three has won a Group 1 and there seems a fair chance that they could all meet again in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York next month. There is lots of water to go under this bridge.

Roaring Lion emerged best last weekend and he seems to be getting better as the season goes on. That’s what John Gosden did say earlier in the year and yet again, he was proven right. He looked the best horse on the day at Sandown. That said he was meeting Saxon Warrior who turned up just seven days after finishing third in an Irish Derby, hardly an ideal preparation. And Roaring Lion only beat him by a neck and he needed to survive a stewards’ inquiry.