SO for another year, at the very least, talk of Europe’s first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky had to be shelved following Saxon Warrior’s fourth to Masar at Epsom last weekend.

After his brilliant reappearance success in the 2000 Guineas the stage seemed set for Saxon Warrior to carry all before him at Epsom but instead the world’s most iconic flat race produced an equally significant winner in Masar. In the past Sheikh Mohammed has been closely involved with Derby winners Lammtarra and New Approach,Masar’s sire. However, a first winner of the greatest classic of them all in Godolphin’s famous royal blue colours is one of surely inestimable and incomparable worth to the Godolphin supremo.