City Of Troy puts his Classic credentials on the line in Sunday’s Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt is favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas following a scintillating display in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket and is a red-hot market leader to remain unbeaten.

He will face a colt who has achieved more to date, however, in the shape of Adrian Murray’s Bucanero Fuerte, a four-length winner of the Group One Phoenix Stakes.

His only defeat in four outings came at Royal Ascot when third to River Tiber in the Coventry Stakes.

Jessica Harrington’s Givemethebeatboys is also one of 12 entries.

Hamish, Eldar Eldarov and Kyprios are on course to meet in a strong renewal of the Comer Group Irish St Leger.

William Haggas’ Hamish is unbeaten in three this term but would prefer to see an end to the current heatwave, while Roger Varian’s Elder Eldarov needs to return to the form which saw him win the St Leger at Doncaster last season.

All eyes will be on Kyprios, though, with last year’s champion stayer due to make his first outing of the season for O’Brien following injury.

John Quinn’s admirable Highfield Princess heads the betting to repeat her victory of last year in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes.

While she headed there off the back of winning the Nunthorpe 12 months ago, this year she was second at York but she appears to be running up to the same level.

Archie Watson’s Bradsell, third at York but winner of the King’s Stand, is also one of 16 entries, along with Curragh specialist Art Power.

The fourth Group One on the card is the Moyglare Stud Stakes for the fillies for which O’Brien’s unbeaten Ylang Ylang appears to hold all the aces among 18 possibles.

Dermot Weld appears keen to mark the 30th anniversary of Vintage Crop’s famous Melbourne Cup success with a runner in the Flemington showpiece after Harbour Wind appeared among the nominations for this year’s race.

Weld became the first European-based trainer to win the prestigious race – and did it again for good measure with Media Puzzle in 2002.

Since then Alain de Royer-Dupre, Mikel Delzangles, Andreas Wohler, Joseph O’Brien twice and Charlie Appleby have all won the ‘race that stops a nation’ and Harbour Wind is one of 15 international entries out of 132 this year.

The Moyglare-owned Harbour Wind would need to rise significantly in the weights to stand a chance of getting a run but the Listed winner will get the chance to improve his rating this weekend at Leopardstown.

Racing Victoria’s general manager Paul Bloodworth told www.racing.com: “I think Dermot is really keen to have a horse running in the 30th anniversary of him winning the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop.

“We went and saw Dermot in Ireland in late July and he actually had a filly that he was interested in bringing in Shamida, who had just won a Group Three race in Ireland.

“He has changed plans for that horse, but he also showed us Harbour Wind and he said ‘Look, he hasn’t done anything yet, but I really like him and he’s going to the Vinnie Roe and we’ll see how we go from there’.”

Bloodworth went on: “He won the Vinnie Roe very impressively, but he probably needs to get his rating up a little higher. He might be a little too low to be confident of securing a start.

“He (Weld) contacted us after he Vinnie Roe and said ‘Where are we?’. We’ve had to wait until the horse got re-rated and he’s still a bit lower than what he needs to be. A win on the weekend would do that and even a placing would probably do it.”

As expected the Willie Mullins-trained duo of Vauban and Ebor winner Absurde, William Haggas’ Desert Hero, owned by the King and Queen, were entered along with last year’s winner Gold Trip, one of 17 entries for Ciaran Maher and David Eustace.

Alflaila is set for his first shot at Group One glory at Leopardstown on Saturday after being supplemented for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes.

Having won a Listed prize at Pontefract and Group Threes at York and Newmarket last season, the Owen Burrows-trained colt made a triumphant return from nine months on the sidelines when powering home to lift the Group Two York Stakes in July.

The four-year-old had the option of returning to the Knavesmire for last month’s Juddmonte International, but owners Shadwell already had a leading contender for that prestigious contest in the eventual winner Mostahdaf and decided to split their aces.

Alflaila has therefore been added to the feature event on day one of the Irish Champions Festival at a cost of €75,000, and his connections are relishing the challenge.

“The other choice was the Juddmonte International, but we were lucky enough to have Mostahdaf there and we chose not to run the two of them against each other,” said Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold.

“Alflaila wasn’t in the Irish Champion initially because he obviously had a little injury at the end of last year and we hadn’t seen him back on the track when the entries were made, but it now makes sense to have a go at this.

“It’s a very high-class race, as you would expect, but we’ll have a go and see what happens.”

While Alflaila’s ticket is booked, Mostahdaf will not be making the trip across the Irish Sea after being taken out of the 10-furlong showpiece at Tuesday’s forfeit stage.

Gold added: “To be honest I don’t think Mostahdaf was ever really going to come here. Straight after the race at York it was an obvious one to mention, but realistically we said we’d give him a bit of time between his races and we’d love to go to Ascot for the Champion Stakes.

“It is unlikely he’ll run there if the weather has turned by then, so let’s hope we get a dry autumn, otherwise it will probably be the Breeders’ Cup (Turf).”

Alflaila is one of 13 horses still in contention for the Irish Champion Stakes, with John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa – runner-up to stablemate Mostahdaf at York – another intended British challenger.

Roger Varian’s King Of Steel is a leading hope off the back of his third in the King George, while Sir Michael Stoute could saddle Bay Bridge and William Haggas could send My Prospero.

Aidan O’Brien has whittled his team down to four, with last year’s winner Luxembourg and dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin joined by Broome and Point Lonsdale.

French raider Onesto (Fabrice Chappet), Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien), Sprewell (Jessica Harrington) and White Birch (John Murphy) are the other hopefuls.

The other Group One on the card is the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes, in which Dermot Weld appears to have a particularly strong hand.

The master of Rosewell House could give Homeless Songs her first run since April in the one-mile contest and she could be joined by Tahiyra, who emulated her stablemate by winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May before following up in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Above The Curve (Joseph O’Brien) and Just Beautiful (Paddy Twomey) are also among 21 possibles.

The O’Brien family dominate the entries for the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, with Joseph interestingly supplementing impressive Curragh maiden winner Atlantic Coast.

Frankel colt Diego Velazquez and course and distance winner Chief Little Rock are two of six contenders for O’Brien senior.

Fourteen horses are in the mix for the €200,000 Dullingham Park Stakes, formerly known as the Boomerang Mile, while the Haggas-trained Al Aasy heads 13 entries for the Paddy Power Stakes.

The gambling regulator has told MPs that a customer’s postcode can only be used “in combination” by betting firms to assess their financial risk.

The heads of the Gambling Commission appeared in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee as controversy grows over the introduction of affordability checks on bettors as part of the development of the gambling White Paper.

Chief executive Andrew Rhodes, his deputy Sarah Gardner and executive director Tim Miller are facing questions from members of the committee as part of its inquiry into gambling regulation.

The industry watchdog is in the middle of a consultation about its proposals for implementing the White Paper and has attracted intense criticism for its interpretation of the Government’s plans around financial checks.

Discussing the use of credit agencies with MPs, Mr Miller said: “We’ve worked incredibly closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure that this is compliant with data protection legislation, and they will continue to work with us as this is developed further.

“Importantly, the rules will be very clear that any data that is collected through this can only be used for the purposes of helping to protect consumers and cannot be used for commercial purposes.”

Asked what other type of agency could be used, Mr Miller said: “At the moment it will primarily be credit reference agencies, but clearly there’s a range of other data that can be publicly available that can be useful here.

“So, for example, postcode data can be really useful in terms of helping you understand where areas of deprivation exist.

“Now, that won’t necessarily immediately tell you that for that customer that lives in that postcode that they are at greater risk. But if they’re living in an area of greater deprivation then, actually, I think it is right that we say there is greater onus on the operator to really understand whether that customer can afford the sort of gambling that they are engaged with.

“So that sort of publicly available data would supplement what you’d have from credit reference agencies.”

Mr Rhodes added: “It’s important to say that these things are taken in combination.

“I can almost guarantee someone’s writing a tweet now saying ‘The Gambling Commission says whether you can gamble or not depends on whether you live in a poor area or not’.

“And what we’re actually saying is there’s a whole wealth of data that can be used that builds a risk picture. It’s not one thing on its own. You take things in combination.

“So there is no guarantee that because someone lives in an area that they have a particular income, but you take it in combination with something from credit reference agencies, other public information, other information we can gather – you start to build a risk picture.”

The White Paper proposes that “enhanced financial checks” will be triggered by a spend of £1,000 in 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days, but politicians have repeatedly promised the checks will be frictionless.

Writing in the Racing Post in April when the White Paper was released, gambling minister Stuart Andrew said: “(For) the very few players who undergo checks, these will happen in the background against information already publicly available so the process is completely frictionless.”

Culture minister Lucy Frazer, speaking in the Commons when the White Paper was unveiled, also said: “Most people will not know that the checks … are happening. They will be frictionless and happen behind the scenes: 80% of people will have to do nothing at all and 20% will have a simple check on whether they have been made bankrupt or have a county court judgment against them.”

It is poised to be a huge weekend for owners Amo Racing as their high-class colts King Of Steel and Bucanero Fuerte fly the flag at the Irish Champions Festival.

The purple silks of Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation have become a regular sight in some of the calendar’s biggest races and will be front and centre at both Leopardstown and the Curragh respectively during a top-class weekend of racing in Ireland.

It is the Roger Varian’s King Of Steel who gets the first shot at glory and the Royal Ascot winner, who has made the podium in both the Derby at Epsom and the King George, finds himself at the top of the market for Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in Dublin.

“It’s a very exciting time of the year and to be going to the Irish Champions Festival with two live contenders in two Group Ones is what we’ve been striving for over the last 18 months,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for the owners.

“It’s a culmination of real hard work from everyone involved, we’re excited and I know the boss is really looking forward to it.”

Having enjoyed his finest moments up at a mile and a half, the son of Wootton Bassett will be dropping back to 10 furlongs at Leopardstown.

But connections are confident King Of Steel has all the attributes to thrive in his latest assignment.

“We’ve been looking for an option to drop King Of Steel back to 10 furlongs all year, but so far it has just not presented itself and we’re very much looking forward to it,” continued Pennington.

“There’s no such thing as an easy Group One, but we’ve been waiting for this race to present itself.

“The horse is in great form, I saw him at the weekend and he did a routine piece of work and did it very nicely and let’s hope he gets there in one piece now.”

Bucanero Fuerte will always hold a special place in Amo Racing folklore having provided the owners with a first Group One success when winning the Phoenix Stakes last month.

Also sired by Wootton Bassett, it was the youngster’s second successive Group-level victory having also finished third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot before that.

Now Adrian Murray’s talented youngster will attempt to extend his winning thread as he steps up to seven furlongs for the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Pennington said: “He has always been a strong stayer at six furlongs and looks as if he’s been crying out for seven. His last furlong has been his best in his last in his last couple of races.

“At the beginning of the season he was a big frame of a horse with an engine, now he is really maturing into the horse we hoped he would.”

If Bucanero Fuerte is to add another big-race victory he will have to lower the colours of Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy, who is currently odds-on at the head of the betting.

The imposing son of Justify made it two from two in imperious style in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket – and connections of Bucanero Fuerte are under no illusion they have a mammoth task on their hands.

“Bucanero Fuerte does like to get his toe in, but we wouldn’t be overly concerned stepping up to seven – the one concern we do have is obviously City Of Troy,” added Pennington.

“You can’t be frightened of one horse, but what he did at Newmarket, to the eye, was visually impressive.

“We know he will take a lot of beating, but we think we’re going there with a live chance.”

One-time Derby favourite Reach For The Moon is set to pursue a career over hurdles this winter, having left John and Thady Gosden to join Jamie Snowden.

The son of Sea The Stars looked destined for the top following a brilliant victory in the 2021 Solario Stakes, but was beaten by Bayside Boy on his final juvenile start in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster – his conqueror on Town Moor winning last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Despite that defeat, optimism remained he could claim Derby glory for the late Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year – but ultimately he did not make the trip to Epsom, not reappearing until a promising run in the Heron Stakes at Sandown before finishing second in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last season.

Having disappointed on his next start in France, Reach For The Moon was gelded during the winter – but he has again finished well beaten twice in the royal silks this term, most recently finishing down the field in the Royal Hunt Cup, and he is being readied for a change of code.

“He’s not with us yet, but he’s left John Gosden’s and has been down at Henrietta Knight’s learning to jump,” said Snowden.

“He is now back at Sandringham having a bit of a break and will come to us later on.

“It’s really exciting. He’ll have a couple of months at Sandringham I guess and then he’ll come to us and will hopefully be ready to run sometime in the new year.”

With the autumn drawing closer, Snowden is beginning to make running plans for three of his stable stars in Ga Law, Datsalrightgino and You Wear It Well.

Ga Law won last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham before losing his way in the new year, while Datsalrightgino was last seen landing Grade Two honours in the Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices’ Chase at Ayr.

Your Wear It Well provided her trainer with Cheltenham Festival success when landing the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in March before finishing fifth against the boys at Aintree.

Snowden added: “They were our big three from last year I suppose and they are all back in and in good order at the moment.

“Your Wear It Well will probably start off in that Listed mares’ race at Wetherby and we’ll work towards hopefully going back to Cheltenham in March.

“Ga Law is going to start off over hurdles in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby and then hopefully go for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

“Datsalrightgino we’re hoping to start off in the Old Roan at Aintree and then go to the Paddy Power Gold Cup, perhaps.”

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon has expressed his delight that Cape Gentleman has settled in well to retirement in America.

Owned by Pierre Manigault, the seven-year-old was attempting to follow in the footsteps of Sergeant Murphy, who claimed Grand National glory for Manigault’s great uncle, Stephen ‘Laddie’ Sandford in 1923, when suffering a career-ending injury at Aintree in the spring.

Having struck into himself in between obstacles during the world’s most famous steeplechase, he was immediately transferred to Liverpool Equine Hospital where he began his recuperation, before returning to Hanlon’s County Carlow base to continue his recovery.

He has now headed to South Carolina for what is anticipated will be a long and happy retirement with his owner.

Hanlon said: “It’s brilliant because the man he has gone to in America, a lot of owners wouldn’t have done what he has done. He has minded him like a baby.

“We had him up until about 10 days ago and I want to thank the hospital in Liverpool for the job they did with the horse, they did a great job.

“We got him home about three weeks after the race and myself and all my staff at home, we minded him and have done a great job with him. We’re delighted to get him to America now where he will be retired.

“He’s out enjoying the sun now and that is very important and he’s having a ball. It’s great that Pierre put the money in to save the horse.”

Hanlon has been keen to document Cape Gentleman’s road to recovery via his stable’s social media channels over the past few months, believing it is crucial in combating any negative perceptions of both horse racing and the Grand National itself.

He added: “For that race (Grand National) it is important that these things happen and it is on us to highlight things like this because none of us want the race stopped.”

Last season’s 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet is set to make her eagerly-anticipated return in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday week.

George Boughey’s filly won the Nell Gwyn before returning to the Rowley Mile to claim Classic glory in early May and she was only narrowly denied in the French Guineas a fortnight later.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned daughter of Aclaim was fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month and has not been seen in competitive action since, but she is closing in on a comeback from her 15-month hiatus.

“Cachet is in full work, she’s going really well and she looks absolutely magnificent,” said Highclere’s managing director Harry Herbert.

“At the moment, touching wood everywhere, she’s on course to reappear in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster on the Sunday of the Leger meeting (September 17).

“She’s wonderful and she’s thriving at the moment. She’s had her setbacks, which she’s well and truly over – we haven’t seen her looking as well since she was in the parade ring before the Guineas.

“Now she’s a mature four-year-old she looks even better, so we’re really excited to see her back in action.”

Cachet holds a Group One entry in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket on October 7, but connections are not making any firm plans beyond her intended Doncaster return.

Herbert added: “We’ll take it one step at a time. She’s been off a long time and it’s not easy getting back to full race fitness after that time, but George is doing his best and she’s really pleasing him.”

Tom Marquand brought up his 1,000th winner in Britain aboard Five Towns at Windsor on Monday evening.

The 25-year-old, who has built up a reputation for being one of the best jockeys around, had already reached that figure in Britain and Ireland but has now reached the milestone on home soil having successfully linked up with a filly appropriately trained by his boss, William Haggas.

Marquand began his career with Richard Hannon in 2014 and only a year later was crowned champion apprentice at the tender age of 18.

His first Group-level success came in 2017 when Anna Nerium landed Salisbury’s Dick Poole Stakes, but he would have to wait until 2020 for his first Group One victory which fittingly came in Australia where Marquand spent plenty of his time honing his craft.

He earned the moniker ‘Aussie Tom’ for his exploits in the Southern Hemisphere and partnered the Haggas-trained Addeybb to three big-race victories in Australia before also combining for Champion Stakes glory at Ascot in 2020.

That triumph came shortly after Marquand landed his first Classic success, as he proved an able late deputy aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Galileo Chrome in the St Leger at Doncaster.

Earlier this year he wrote himself into the Royal Ascot history books when steering Haggas’ Desert Hero to win the King George V Stakes. It was the first time the King and Queen’s colours had been carried to victory at the Royal meeting since the death of the late Queen.

Marquand married fellow jockey Hollie Doyle in 2022, with the pair sitting second and third respectively behind William Buick in this season’s jockeys’ championship.

“It’s fantastic,” Marquand told Sky Sports Racing.

“It takes a lot of horses and lot of people to ride 1,000 winners, so I’m very fortunate to have had that support.”

Officials in Hungary have described Frankie Dettori’s appearance at Kincsem Park at the weekend as a “dream come true” after the Italian stole the show with a big-race double.

Dettori’s visit to Budapest was a somewhat unexpected stop on his farewell tour, but he proved a hit with his Hungarian fans as a bumper crowd flocked to the capital and were treated to not only the 52-year-old in winning action but his famous flying dismount celebration.

It was the first time British raiders had graced the Hungarian track during one of its feature weekends, and owner Fitri Hay’s support of the Autumn International Meeting was rewarded by winning both of the day’s features thanks to the assistance of the retiring weighing-room great.

After winning a local Group Two aboard Ian Williams’ Silent Film, Dettori then linked up Paul and Oliver Cole’s Splendent in the feature Kincsem Stakes – a result which delighted the hosts.

“It could not have gone any better and was a real success,” said Botond Kovacs, international liaisons officer at Kincsem Park.

“The Hays are absolutely marvellous people and they of course were delighted with the outcome of the races and also with our hospitality. I am trying to sound modest but we really did our best and of course Frankie was happy.

“He did not win on the four Hungarian horses he rode, but this is racing, and I do hope it is not the last time we host English-trained horses in Budapest.

“Of course we are looking forward to hosting Frankie when he has retired, we will welcome him with open arms at any time.

“The Hays and the four trainers from England were absolutely fantastic. Even the veteran trainer Paul Cole showed up and that was a real privilege for us. He is a real great name in racing and his family are wonderful people.”

Not only did Dettori delight his adoring Hungarian supporters by showcasing his famed talent in the saddle, he also got up close and personal with the locals as the queue for souvenir photographs stretched far across the grandstands.

Kovacs added: “People were enjoying it and Frankie was being stopped every single second.

“It’s different for a superstar to appear in a country he has never been rather than France, Ireland and England and everyone wanted their selfie with Frankie.

“He really is a superstar and was great, he was never fed up and smiling all the time – he is a great person and racing needs people like Frankie.

“The next task for racing is to try to come up with a person who equals Frankie. Frankie is the brand of horse racing.”

Officials hope the visit of Dettori and horses from Britain will help boost the profile of horse racing in Hungary and anticipate welcoming further runners from overseas in the future.

“It was a dream come true and I am really over the moon. It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Kovacs.

“We will have a meeting soon with the management of Kincsem Park to draw some conclusions and see where we can improve, but it really was a historic day for Hungarian racing.

“Horse racing is owned by the government and the minister of defence is in charge. He is a great man and loves his racing – he is a fanatic.

“In the last decade it is no secret there has been probably more downs than ups in Hungarian racing but now there is good prospects and we are really really happy.

“We would like to do our best to lift Hungarian racing to the standards we once had. Hungarian racing is almost 200 years old and we are still here after two world wars and every other type of hardship.”

Believing and Mill Stream have been supplemented to take on Shaquille in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

A total of 23 speedsters are in contention for the six-furlong Group One, with the Julie Camacho-trained Shaquille very much the star attraction as he looks to add to his previous top-level wins this summer in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.

The George Boughey-trained Believing and Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream are two interesting contenders after their respective connections paid the £20,000 required to add them to the field.

Believing has won two Listed races and a Group Three this season and is one of two potential runners for the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing team along with Karl Burke’s Spycatcher, who was beaten a short head by King Gold in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last month.

However, the latter appears unlikely to make the trip to Merseyside.

Harry Herbert, Highclere’s managing director, said: “Believing was impressive winning last time and the way she has been since leads George to think she’s improving rapidly.

“Certainly looking at her physically that is exactly what she’s doing, so we looked at all the options for her and felt this was an opportunity to have a crack at a Group One race.

“With ground conditions quickening up it’s possible the field will reduce, but it’s more the way she’s coming into the race and the opinion the trainer has of her.

“She’s very smart and with a filly like this that’s improving, the shareholders were keen to give it a go and it’s very exciting.”

Of Spycatcher, Herbert added: “He’s in great form the horse, but we definitely wouldn’t risk him on quick ground.

“This has been the target for a while now, but it’s highly unlikely that he’ll run looking at the forecast. You never know, if a thunderstorm hits or something happens before declaration time then we may reconsider, but we need to protect him.

“He’s in at Ascot on Champions Day and we’ve got to be patient. He’s a wonderful horse who is improving all the time, but at this stage I’d say we’d struggle to run him on Saturday unless something out of the ordinary happened with regards to the weather forecast.”

Mill Stream won a Listed race and a Group Three at the French track in August and fully merits his place in Group One company.

“Mill Stream has come out of his Deauville race in good order, so we have decided to take the opportunity to run him again while he is good form as there are no other options for him until Champions Day,” said Chapple-Hyam.

Ralph Beckett has left in both Kinross and Lezoo after on Sunday suggesting he is likely to rely upon the latter, while Aidan O’Brien could saddle one or both of Aesop’s Fables and The Antarctic.

Other hopefuls include Ed Bethell’s Regional, the William Haggas-trained Sacred and July Cup runner-up Run To Freedom from Henry Candy’s yard.

Ancient Rome could be set for further adventures overseas having scooped almost £1million when victorious at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.

A four-time winner and fourth behind Modern Games in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains when trained in France by Andre Fabre, the son of War Front is two from two since switched to Charlie Hills for new owner Fitri Hay.

His class came to the fore when landing the Chesterfield Cup at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and he further advertised his qualities when making a successful raid on the Grade Three Mint Millions Stakes.

“It was fantastic and he’s done very little wrong since he has joined us,” said Hills.

“He’s got his good form back again and he had such good form as a two-and three-year-old. He seems to be enjoying himself and travelled over there great.

“It’s great when you have a horse who you know can travel well and it hopefully gives us a few nice races to go for in the future.”

Ancient Rome could now go in search of further riches Stateside, with international outings in both France and Bahrain also possibly on the agenda.

Hills continued: “You have to give full credit to Fitri Hay and her team for finding that race over there and he’s Kentucky-bred so it made sense with that amount of prize-money for a Grade Three to go for it.

“We’ve had a brief chat this morning and we really need to get him home first, but there should be some nice races to go for.

“We could look at the Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland or we could go to France for the Prix Dollar and maybe the Bahrain Trophy a little bit later on.

“I’m sure he will get a bit further as well. I don’t see a mile and a quarter being a problem and he’s a really exciting horse to have in the yard, it’s great.”