COVENTRY Stakes fourth Royal Scotsman (Paul & Oliver Cole/Jim Crowley) landed a public gamble in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes, breaking Bachir’s 1999 track record for six furlongs by 0.15 sec to justify odds of 5/6, having been a general 6/4 when the market opened in earnest.

The Coventry form had been well advertised, with the horses Royal Scotsman split at Ascot having taken Group 2 contests subsequently, and he proved much too good for some promising youngsters, always travelling well, and asked to go on when a gap appeared two furlongs from home.

He then powered away from his rivals, with Al Karrar (Tom Clover/Jack Mitchell) and Chateau (Andrew Balding/Will Buick) closing late from off the pace to fill the minor berths, a length and a half and three lengths respectively behind the impressive winner.

Paul Cole first won the Richmond with Nomination in the dark green colours of the late Fahd Salman back in 1985, and this was his fourth win in the race, albeit the first since son Oliver joined him on the licence.

Cole trained some brilliant juveniles in the Fahd Salman days, including Dewhurst winner Generous, who added the Derby, Irish Derby, and King George at three, so it was intriguing to hear him talk so highly of Royal Scotsman after the race.

“I would say he is at the top,” stated Cole Sr when asked to compare the winner to his previous stars. “I’ve had two or three other great horses but leading up to this race he gave me a better vibe. You’re never certain, as anything can happen, but everything went well, and I couldn’t comprehend being beaten.

“If you’re looking at the 2000 Guineas, good horses can win over a lot of trips. The way he behaves is very good. Whether he gets a mile or not I don’t know - he is bred for it.”

THE betting for the Group 3 Gordon Stakes was all one way, and despite the presence of Derby runner-up and recent £1.2m purchase Hoo Ya Mal, punters only wanted to know about Newmarket handicap winner New London (Charlie Appleby/Will Buick), who was backed into 6/4 favouritism ahead of the mile-and-a-half contest.

Those who backed him never had to sweat, as the favourite moved up menacingly on the outer as the field straightened for home.

He produced a telling burst of acceleration when sent about his business, the only flaw in his performance a tendency to hang right when in front, but he was in command at the time, and was value for more than the one-and-three-quarter-length margin back to runner-up Deauville Legend (James Ferguson/Dan Muscutt), with Hoo Ya Mal (George Boughey) far from discredited in third, two lengths behind the winner, after Ryan Moore had dropped his whip inside the final furlong.

That probably cost him second place, but he was no match for the impressive winner, who could easily prove the best of his generation at this trip, with his second on unsuitably soft ground in the Chester Vase the only black spot on an otherwise perfect record.

The Gordon Stakes is seen as a St Leger Trial, and Appleby has four entered up at Doncaster, including Wednesday’s handicap winner Secret State.

New London is the clear pick on form, however, and Will Buick discussed the Dubawi colt’s quality and the St Leger conundrum.

“New London is a proper horse,” said Buick. “He is very exciting. The Derby prep didn’t go well, but we are delighted to get him back and Charlie and his team have done a great job.

“We went a good pace, and I wasn’t following the horse I wanted to, so we were in front earlier than ideal. However, he is a strong galloper and he saw it out well, even allowing for that.

“It’s hard to be confident, but we can be hopeful about the St Leger trip. Those two furlongs are a long two furlongs, so we’ll see. He relaxes well and gives himself every chance. Hopefully, he will.

“New London has achieved more than Secret State. That was a deep Gordon field with the Derby second. He has passed the test and Secret State is up and coming – let’s see if he can do it.”