Oh yes, he's the Great Pretender - but there's no pretending he's not doing well

If any further evidence of the jumps community’s reliance on Sadler’s Wells blood were needed, look no further than the action last weekend.

Of the seven races staged at Ascot on Saturday, five were won by members of the Sadler’s Wells sire line, including the Ascot Chase, the day’s Grade 1 event that sealed the arrival at the top table of the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Riders Onthe Storm.

Riders Onthe Storm: third Grade 1 winner for the Montjeu stallion ScorpionCredit: Edward Whitaker

He is the third Grade 1 winner for the Montjeu stallion Scorpion, whose paternal half-brother Jukebox Jury - a popular recent recruit to Burgage Stud - had earlier supplied Nordano, the 17-length winner of the feature handicap hurdle.