Ancient Rome

“To be fair, Dr Hay picked this race out even before he purchased Ancient Rome. He's Kentucky-bred so it fitted in well. I think he went well on the [firm] ground today and he's pretty adaptable when it comes to surfaces. He ran in softer conditions a lot of the time in France and last time [at Goodwood] it was soft, but he's a War Front and they go on fast turf - Jamie Spencer, quoted by Bloodhorse.”

“They did go a good gallop, which was quite tiring in dead ground, and the race fell into his lap in the last furlong. I always thought I was going to be involved; maybe outside the three-furlong pole, he was moving up easily enough and I was following Tom Marquand [on Millebosc], who was kind of dying so we went round him. Ancient Rome is a very lazy horse - you ask him and he'll go for three or four strides, then he's lazy again. Even right at the line he pricked his ears and kind of jammed [the brakes] on, so he's a hard horse to assess. I just planned to drop out, stay on the outside, get cover and come down the outside. Dr Jim said, just ride like Richard Hughes! He's a smart horse and I thought he was a stakes horse, so I'm sure he will be capable of at least Listed company - Jamie Spencer, jockey.”