Sweet William

“Sweet William is a year older, but he still retains all his enthusiasm. They pulled a long way clear of the third there, but he likes to keep you guessing. He got there, hit the front, and he was happy to stay there rather than go away, but it was a very good performance. We'll see how he comes out of it. The natural thing to do would be to wait for the Gold Cup. There are options beforehand, but we'll discuss it with Mrs Phillipa Cooper and make a plan from there. He's a character and he certainly enjoys himself at home and on the track - Thady Gosden, joint-trainer.”

“I thought going past the two-furlong pole that I'd got Trawlerman, He looked like he was tying up but I think he went again and a furlong out I tied up a little bit. It was run at a fast pace and I'd say that was a career best from Sweet William. He's quirky but so consistent, and he's my favourite horse of all time. We tried to ease off him after Doncaster but he was swinging Bradley, who rides him every morning, around like a Rag Doll, so we had to kick on with him again, and I'm glad we did. He's a great horse to ride - Rab Havlin, jockey.I was hoping the outsider would spoil it for Trawlerman and soften him up, but he didn't. Rab said he thought he was going to win but Trawlerman found that little bit extra. There was certainly no case of, 'If only'. I can only judge it on how close Sweet William finished to Trawlerman, but the way he picked up I totally agree it was a career best. He picks up and tries now, whereas before he was called bad names for not trying, but you couldn't say that now. Obviously, we'll be careful with his races, but he's run six times this season and he'll be back next year - Philippa Cooper, owner-breeder.”

“It's lovely to win this race with Sweet William. It's in memory of Howard Wright who was a great friend of all of us. He was a super fellow, great for racing - we need him back again. I've already been instructed that's it for the season. See you this time next season, same place. Philippa Cooper [owner] wants to go out on a high and build up to the Doncaster Cup next year. They're great these Cup horses, people remember them and enjoy them. Stradivarius, this horse and Trawlerman are exciting for crowds because a lot of our Flat horses disappear too quickly - John Gosden, trainer.”

“Sweet William will go to Doncaster and that will be it for the year - John Gosden, joint-trainer.”

“Sweet William will go to York and Doncaster now. A galloping track suits him, maybe a fiddly one like this doesn't. Aidan's runners controlled the early fractions. When they do that, they're very hard to catch - John Gosden, joint-trainer.”

“Sweet William and Trawlerman both ran well. They controlled the pace upfront, both of Aidan's horses. The fractions were pretty steady and then they gradually increased and kicked off the bend. Ours would probably have preferred a stronger, even pace. They've run exceptionally well but Kyprios has a gear more than the rest. I'd have thought we'd come back with both of them next year. They're lovely horses. They both have great enthusiasm for it still and these long-distance horses make it fun - John Gosden, joint-trainer.”

“We've been mucking about with different things and Sweet William seems to be really enjoying it at the minute. We had a visor on and we made the slits slightly bigger so he could see a little bit - just changing things and keeping him interested. He never lets you down but it's nice when he asserts himself like that. He's deserved a big one. He's been in the first three in some top race races - Robert Havlin, rider.”

“Sweet William has had seven screws in his leg so what a courageous horse. That's why we love him and he's a character. He was box-rested for four months when he was two and he had a hell of a time. I never thought of him being a racehorse, I just wanted him to live. He's the most beautiful horse I've bred and he's named after my son. It's wonderful to be third in a Group 1 and my children don't come racing very often so for them both to run well is wonderful - Philippa Cooper.”

“It was Philippa's [Cooper, owner] idea to put the visor on Sweet William. We put full-cup blinkers on him last year and he never travelled a yard. He didn't really travel today, to be honest, but the further he went, the better he went. He'll definitely stay two and a half miles and he'll go to Ascot now. He's had a good blow today. He's only run over further than two miles once at Doncaster and it wasn't a test because it turned into a three-furlong sprint. It worked out the way I thought it would in my head. I thought I would let Rossa [Ryan] on Caius Chorister lead me this time because he pounced on me last time. I was able to play with him a little bit up the straight - Rab Havlin, jockey.”

“Sweet William is becoming more straightforward. He has been a lot of fun to train and it was a long time until he could race for various reasons. He does have a strong view on life and it is not necessarily where you want him to go! He is getting the idea of it well now. The York Ebor meeting might nearly be my favourite meeting of the year, but we have got to get in the race, that's the thing, it will be touch and go. If not, he is a horse who might one day step up the ladder to Cup races - John Gosden, joint-trainer.”

“We'll take it one race at a time but I think Sweet William would need another penalty to get into the Ebor, and these big handicaps aren't my bag to be honest, but John and Thady Gosden have helped so much with this horse's journey and they will decide - Philippa Cooper, owner/breeder.”