Perfect conditions for The Grey Gatsby to bounce back to his best

It all looked so simple just a few weeks ago. Postponed, arguably the best turf horse in the world and on a six-timer, has long been hot favourite Juddmonte International (3.40) at York this afternoon, and when time Time Test was ruled out last week he briefly went odds-on with some.

However, always in the background were concerns about the form of Roger Varian's stable. Postponed missed the King George at Ascot with a respiratory infection, and while a winner on Saturday helped steady the nerves, the lack of runners from the yard - ten so far in August compared to 40 at the same stage last year - tells its own story.

Postponed has looked invincible in 2016, but those concerns have ensured the competition has not been frightened off and in the last ten years the only all-aged ten-furlong Group 1 in Britain or Ireland not restricted to fillies to have attracted more runners than today's International was the 2009 Champion Stakes at Newmarket.