However, he is firing in the winners now and Pallasator looked a live Ebor candidate when taking the GL Events Owen Brown Stakes at Ascot on Sunday.

Mark Johnston’s Double Bluff led and kicked on but Pallasator (5/1), conceding the younger horse 18lb, caught him 150 yards from the finish and went away to score by two lengths in the hands of Luke Morris. A giant of a horse, he was raised 2lb for his excellent reappearance second at Haydock and carried 10 stone here. Unsurprisingly, bookmakers made him favourite for the famous old race on the Knavesmire.

“With age he is more ground adaptable whereas when he was young he needed some cut,’’ Sir Mark said. “He’ll run in the Ebor if all is well and has the Irish St Leger entry, as well.’’

AMAZING RACY

There will always be bookmakers as long as results like Racy’s 20/1 success in the last turn up. Virtually tailed-off after chasing the pace in the big seven-furlong handicap the previous day, he reverted to his favourite minimum trip and, again taken down early to keep him sweet, he progressed steadily from the rear, led inside the final furlong and went away to beat Barnet Fair by a tidy length and a half.

Those who stayed with him - and there were a few - deserve a medal as well as a pay-out. This success ended a 21-race barren spell going all the way back to victory in a four-runner Brighton claimer. Ascot emptied quietly as he was led back in. This three-day meeting had just about everything.