I'm a huge Godolphin fan but even I couldn't see that happening. As far as I know, the horse had never run on turf before!
In a way I'm glad - and not aimed at anyone on here who backed the Stoute horse - it won as I was on Astro King at Thirsk and it should have won. I just wasn't prepared to back it today at the price.
Funnily enough Mike only said this afternoon ‘that other Godolphin trainer doesn’t get many winners these days’. I pointed out that I tend to follow him in handicaps at Nottingham.
It will be very interesting to see what the handicapper does. Will he rate Astro King a comfortable winner or a well-beaten second?
I'll be rating each side independently of the other, effectively two separate races. The winner looked like a Group horse. I'm also pleased for SbS. Good trainer with the right horses.