Willie Mullins scores again as Stratum bags Cesarewitch for in-form Jason Watson

A day after Jason Watson landed his first British Group 1 on Quadrilateral in the Fillies' Mile, the Future Champions meeting got even better for the talented rider when Stratum sprang a 25-1 surprise in the Emirates Cesarewitch Stakes.

The victory was a second successive win in the 2m2f marathon for Willie Mullins following Low Sun a year ago when Stratum, sent off the 6-1 second favourite that day, was unsighted in 20th.

There was no repeat of that free-running disappointment a year on as Watson got the dual-purpose performer settled in the ruck behind a generous pace set by Coeur Blimey and eventual third Summer Moon.

Watch Jason Watson land the Cesarewitch on Stratum

After many of those towards the front backpedalled, it was left to Stratum, eventual second Party Playboy and Summer Moon to battle for home out of the Dip.

The half-length success was an all-Mullins affair with Willie's brother Tony saddling the runner-up, who was sent off at 50-1, as was the third.

Mullins said: "We thought Stratum might do it last year but he ran too free; but Jason gave him an ice-cool ride. Every time I looked at him he was taking a pull, which is a great sign in a jockey.

"We brought him here for the prize-money rather than the homework he'd been doing, and although he got beat at 1-3 last time over hurdles, he still ran a great race, so it's no big surprise.

"When I looked at it two furlongs down I thought Tony was going to win it with Party Playboy and we'd be placed, but it all changed in a matter of strides."

Jason Watson: the rising star had a weekend to rememberCredit: Dan Abraham

Watson has enjoyed a fine end to the season with the likes of Headman, Aspetar and Quadrilateral also capturing big races for him.

He said: "Stratum travelled extremely well through the race and the gaps weren't appearing, which was a good thing in the end.

"There was a question mark over the ground but he took me nicely into the race. He got squeezed out when I rode him in the Ebor last year but he was better today.

"I've had an unbelievable weekend after winning my first [British] Group 1 on Quadrilateral yesterday and this was the icing on the cake."

Owner Tony Bloom was winning the Cesarewitch for the second time in three years, having seen Withhold take the prize in 2017, and the owner's spokesman said: "We nearly pulled Stratum out when the rain came as we had thought about the Irish Cesarewitch, which is tomorrow. I'm glad we didn't."

On the runner-up Party Playboy, trainer Tony Mullins said: "I thought we'd got there but my brother was there. It was a fantastic run."

Sir Mark Prescott's mission to land the Cesarewitch goes on after his two contenders, Timoshenko and Land Of Oz, finished third and fourth last.

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