American Affair

“I've trained the family for three generations so it's very sweet. American Affair's grandfather had his day here so we're pretty lucky that we can breed horses like that. He's just getting faster, we went seven furlongs at Wetherby in his maiden, we've learnt to run him over the right trip, we took him back to five and he's just getting better and better. I was quite confident he could do it today, he had the talent, we got it wrong at Haydock. I knew he was probably one of the fastest horses in the race but it's how you control that. We've come down a day early and got him relaxed and it all fell into place - Jim Goldie, trainer.I first won his maiden on him over seven furlongs round Wetherby, it's hard to believe. And then American Affair started getting sharper and sharper and I rode him one day at York over seven and he proper latched on and I said to Jim 'I think this lad could be a sprinter' and obviously he's just got quicker as he's got older as do a lot of sprinters - Paul Mulrennan, jockey.”

“It's probably American Affair's last go in a handicap. He's done nothing but improve and started off last year in the mid-70s, but the more racing he's had the sharper he's got. He just shuts down when he hits the front and is still quite raw. Jim said we'd learn a lot more about him today as there's no easy five-furlong race here. He's proved he's up to going to the next level - Paul Mulrennan, rider.”

“We probably have to go into Group races. There's the King Charles over five furlongs at Ascot, which would be okay. I don't think we'll go to Newmarket but American Affair is a good horse and he's maturing - Jim Goldie, trainer.”

“American Affair has done nothing but improve all year. Jim Goldie is some trainer. The last couple of races he's been running with the choke out and not really finishing. Jim said today to ride him ice cold, I got him to switch off and he finished really well. What will he be like next year with another winter on his back? He's still very babyish and raw - Paul Mulrennan, jockey.”

“American Affair is a homebred and as he came off the box, I said to him, 'Your granny [Class Wan] won here' and we've had a few generations of this breed. From where he was drawn [13], Paul got the rail and kind of bossed it - Jim Goldie, trainer, speaking to ITV Racing.”

“American Affair is a work in progress but the uphill finish and the step up to seven played to his strengths. He's a big horse and there should be a lot more to come from him - Paul Mulrennan, jockey, speaking on Racing TV.”