Librettist (USA)

Overcame a slow start and greenness to win on his debut at Newmarket and he showed that he'd learnt plenty from that experience when beating four previous winners in a Doncaster conditions race in September 2004; considered good enough to contest the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes back at Newmarket next time, he was far from disgraced when finishing fifth and looked likely to be one of the leading hopes for Godolphin in the following year's Classics; however, he was forced to miss the whole of 2005 through injury and wasn't seen again until making a winning return at Nottingham in June 2006; steadily climbing back up the ranks, he landed the Listed Midsummer Stakes at Windsor before gaining a first pattern success in the Group 3 Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte; his progression led to a tremendous run of form and he posted a career-best effort when beating Manduro in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on soft ground in August before lowering the colours of France's top-rated miler, Stormy River, in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin, becoming the first horse to complete the Marois/Moulin double; he took up stallion duties at Newmarket in 2007; best over 1m; appeared to handle most ground