York

"He gave Merchant 8lb and was beaten only two and a half lengths in a handicap last May, and I think he was the best horse in the Queen's Vase on his next start. He was green and a thug beforehand - he just didn't behave or run like a professional, but was still beaten only a length. He looked like winning the St Leger in the final furlong on his last start, but he couldn't quite get past Scandinavia. That was a very good run and I think staying is his game. You'd have to dream that he'd be a Gold Cup horse with a run or two before. He might start in the Sagaro at Ascot, but it's not completely set in stone. He's a likeable thug and is looking super. 01-04-26"

"We were quite hopeful of a good run from him in the Leger. I know it's easy in hindsight, but I think people are very short-sighted when they're looking at a horse's chance. A lot of people don't go back past their last run. Even looking at the handicap at York in May, he gave Merchant 8lb and got beaten two and a half lengths. Merchant has since won the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot and the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Even at the weights that was a good effort, and then in the Queen's Vase at Ascot it was a hell of a run. He did a lot wrong that day but was beaten only a length by Paddy Twomey's Carmers, who was 4-1 for the St Leger. I was pretty confident we had him in good shape for the Leger and we were vindicated by keeping the faith in him. There might have been only seven runners but the winner was admirable and I think it was a strong Leger, with the Derby winner in fourth. He arguably delivered a Group 1 performance when runner-up, without quite winning the prize, and it gives us a taste for what is maybe to come next year. We'll be unlikely to see him again this season. His season started early as his first run was in early March. He's had a very long year, although he's had only two races since Royal Ascot. He's all about next year now. I think he's going to be more of a Cup horse than a middle-distance horse and it'll be exciting to have him in the team - it's always nice to have a strong stayer. We hope he might be a horse to have around for another couple of years. The programme for Cup horses is interesting before Ascot, but after Ascot there's a lovely run of staying races, so we have a lot to look forward to with him. 24-09-25"

"He had a great winter, winning around half a million pounds in Dubai and Saudi. I like the sound of having a crack at the Yorkshire Cup next. You can chop and change his trip as he's quite versatile and gives himself a chance of staying by relaxing so well. He wants fast ground and we'll run him sparingly at home with a view to going abroad again next year. 14-04-25"

"He was a little disappointing in Dubai, where they went no gallop and he over-travelled. We're lining up to go to Sandown at the end of the month for the Group 3 over 2m there. He took some time to come to hand over the winter but he's training well now, so hopefully we'll have plenty of fun with him during the British turf season. 14-05-25"