AT the Doncaster St Leger meeting in 2014, Decorated Knight (Galileo) made his racing debut, and his sole start as a juvenile. In the 17-runner field over a mile, he was runner-up to the more experienced Commemorative, a colt who went on to win the Group 3 Autumn Stakes next time out.

Roger Varian took a patient approach and Decorated Knight was put away for the winter. With a stallion’s pedigree, connections surely had an eye at all times on a potential stud career, but they again showed patience at three when the colt won twice, and showed that he was at least above average when running third to Time Test in the Group 2 Joel Stakes.