'I actually bid on him as a yearling' - Nationwide fulfils John Butler's belief

Monday: Wolverhampton

Nationwide, who escaped trainer John Butler at the yearling sales, has flourished since joining his Newmarket yard, recording back-to-back wins.

The four-year-old won cosily under Daniel Muscutt, coming from the back to score by three-quarters of a length.

Butler said: “Hopefully, this horse is going to progress. He won quite easily again today, so we’re quite excited about him.”

This was no impulse buy for the Newmarket trainer, as he spotted the son of Exceed And Excel as a yearling.

“I actually bid on him at the sales when a guy in Ireland bought him," he added. "I followed his career.

“We always buy one or two cast-offs every year and we rolled the dice and bought quite a lot of them. Some turn out to be okay and some don’t, but hopefully this one will progress.”

Muscutt added to his victory with two other winners in a 44-1 treble, starting the day with Blue Flame for Ed Dunlop and ending with Crystal Starlet for James Ferguson in the last.

Results, replays and analysis

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