IN taking the Grosser Preis von Baden Ivanhowe (42) went a long way towards proving what I’ve suspected for a long time. Namely that he’s the best middle distance horse in Europe.

After lobbing along at the back, Ivanhowe started to weave his way quickly through the field as they swung wide off the home turn and migrated towards the stands rail up the straight. He had to bump his pacemaker Iniciar out of the way to force a clear passage.