The next big thing, new alliances forged and a hint of travesty

So, we have a new, and clear, favourite for the 2023 Qipco 2,000 Guineas in Little Big Bear, and deservedly so after a thumping seven-length win in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

When his rivals got to him inside the distance, you wondered what the second favourite had left in the tank. The answer was plenty as he powered away under Ryan Moore to leave his small but very select opposition trailing.

There is a mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree, and he clearly has plenty of the former – as underlined by the fact trainer Aidan O’Brien did not immediately rule out the Nunthorpe, one of a number of possible targets mentioned.