STRADIVARIUS, unbeaten now since his three-year-old days, won the Yorkshire Cup in a fashion best described as a “shade cosily”.

A raw timefigure of just 87 from Timeform, it’s hard to work out where his ability ends. Each of his last five starts featuring steady paces with finishing speeds of 106% or higher, something not conducive to impressive clock performances nor getting to the bottom of a horse’s true potential.