The TV veteran who brought Countdown to Britain now has a Nunthorpe champion

Numbers have always been important to John Fairley, not surprisingly for a man who spent his working life in the ratings-fuelled world of television. Numbers were certainly on his mind here at a racecourse where he worked so often as the boss of Channel 4 Racing. On this particular day, the number 57 was particularly on his mind.

It was off a mark of 57 that Highfield Princess was defeated in a Doncaster handicap two years ago. From that basement figure she has soared through the ranks in the expert care of Fairley's tenant John Quinn, right to the peak of Group 1 glory, both in France two weeks ago and again here on the Knavesmire, less than an hour from the Malton stables that are home to the mare and her owner-breeder.

Only three months ago the rags-to-riches five-year-old supplemented last year's Royal Ascot handicap success by landing the Duke of York Stakes. That was big. This was bigger. For although what we witnessed was far from a vintage Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, Highfield Princess won it with authority, surging past front-running juvenile The Platinum Queen to score by two and a half lengths under the excellent Jason Hart.