Long running into form at right time

The reaction of both the bookmakers and sections of the press to the recent success of Long Run at Newbury, at least to my way of thinking, was a little surprising.

The layers couldn't wait to shove him out in price, while some of the press seemed to think that a horse who had just won had actually harmed his prospects of landing another Gold Cup.

I even read one of the scribes saying that Long Run's jumping left plenty to be desired. I couldn't understand that at all, because his technique was essentially impeccable.