THE big question heading into the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes on Friday wasn’t whether Battaash (Charlie Hills/Jim Crowley) could beat his rivals, but whether, with the sun splitting the stones, he could beat the stopwatch, and he did just that by scoring in a time of 55.62 seconds. He was at his imperious best again at a track which suits him ideally, and he’s now the track record holder at both Goodwood and York for five furlongs. His doubters are getting quieter by the day.

The 2/7 favourite was always close up, and when asked to go on with three furlongs to run, he quickly settled the contest, crossing the line over two lengths to the good of last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye heroine Glass Slippers (Kevin Ryan/Tom Eaves), that filly holding Ornate (David Griffiths/Oisin Murphy) by a neck for second.