Taking 3-1 about a two-year-old in July for the 2,000 Guineas seems pretty mad

I have to admit to finding this year's Flat season a little dull, but Saturday – and two performances in particular – really sparked the season into life.

Let's start with Shaquille. I have never seen a performance quite like it. To blow the start and win a sprint like the July Cup at Newmarket – a track that usually suits horses racing prominently – would be extraordinary on its own, but to win the race after doing that and then taking off with your rider three furlongs from the finish was staggering. 

It was a performance that left me speechless. And that, as my colleagues and friends would confirm, doesn't happen very often.