SUPER-SUB Henry Longfellow stepped in when City Of Troy stepped out in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, and this Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) son of Minding (Galileo) has given that triple champion racemare a near perfect start at stud.

It was also the occasion of Aidan O’Brien’s 4,000th winner as a trainer – and the serendipity of it happening in a race named in honour of his predecessor at Ballydoyle, the legendary Vincent, will not have been lost on too many people. Vincent won the race for the first time in 1967 with Sir Ivor, and for the last time in 1992 with Fatherland. In between his winners included Roberto, Storm Bird, El Gran Senor, Law Society and El Prado.