Why those with long-term aspirations should be queuing up to use this stallion - plus my idea of the Derby winner

I blame Tom Cruise. He felt the need, the need for speed back in the 1980s and since then most of the racehorse population has been bred along those lines. The problem is we are not very good at it, as has been proven by the Australians and Americans coming over and thrashing us at Royal Ascot and the hair-brained invention that was the Commonwealth Cup is now in danger of losing its Group 1 status.

The market has shifted to wanting two-year-old winners at Royal Ascot rather than Derby winners as witnessed by the likes of Mehmas and Havana Grey standing at more than £50,000 a cover, while top-class middle-distance horses stand at a fifth the fee.

In the fullness of time I reckon the market will see the error of its ways and those with long-term ambitions are going to be drawn back into the Flat game. If that's the case they should be all queuing up at the door of Ulysses, who for me is the best value sire anywhere in the world bar none.