WHILE Cracksman was brilliant on Saturday, if less so previously this season, for consistency and versatility at a high level in 2018 he comes behind his stable-companion Roaring Lion (not words I anticipated writing even a few months ago). Roaring Lion made it five wins out of his last six starts – the exception when only just failing to stay in the Derby at Epsom – in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes earlier on the Ascot card, this his fourth consecutive success at Group 1 level.

The speed (and high striding frequency) he had shown in some of those earlier starts convinced me he would be at least as effective at a mile as further. In the end, perhaps he wasn’t, though the softer ground might also have played its part, for he got there by just a neck against an unconsidered rival (I Can Fly) who carried 2lbs overweight.