IT was only a listed race at Sandown in September, but, to a large degree, King Of Change’s win last week confirmed the fairly positive view of his second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket over four months earlier. He beat the smart pair Turgenev and Silver Line fair and square, for all that his timefigure came in at an unexceptional 92 in a falsely-run affair.

That figure was the same as recorded by Via De Vega earlier on the card (after allowance for his being younger and carrying more weight has been made), but the latter’s late sectionals – including a 24.27s uphill last two furlongs – suggests he is a group-class youngster already.