Bullish trainer William Muir looking at the Breeder’s Cup and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for King George hero Pyledriver

On Sunday, the Lambourn handler, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick, confirmed that the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp on October 2 will be the five-year-old’s next target, with the Japan Cup and the Hong Kong Vase also under consideration.

“The Breeders’ Cup is after the Arc, so basically the Arc is next on the agenda and once you’ve won that race, you have a free entry to the Japan Cup, same as the Breeders’ Cup, same as Hong Kong,” said Muir.

“We can’t do them all. It is impossible to do everything.”

Martin Dwyer, who has partnered Pyledriver in all but four of the entire’s 18 career starts, is currently recuperating following surgery to repair a torn ACL and hinted that a trip to Keeneland could be on the cards after the Arc.

Muir, who has been training since 1991, feels the victory under jockey PJ McDonald may be decried in some quarters, because Pyledriver is not from a bigger yard.

“If this horse would have been trained by Aidan (O’Brien) or by John Gosden, he would be a superstar.

“Before the race, they said, ‘Westover was a fantastic winner of the Irish Derby and was an unlucky loser in the English Derby... Emily Upjohn is the best we’ve ever seen - she bolted up at Sandown and won at York and she was unlucky at Epsom, if she had not have stumbled she’d have won the Oaks... Mishriff got the jockey sacked because he should have won the Eclipse last time... the German horse won his Group Two really well and won last year’s Arc... Broome won the Hardwicke last time out’ - not any giving a mention to Pyledriver!

“Then, after the race, (they say) ‘none of them have performed’.

“But you can’t take anything away from him - it was a real fast time.”

William Knight’s Sir Busker, so often the bridesmaid in big races, gained his biggest success to date when edging out the Champion Stakes runner-up Dubai Honour in the Sky Bet York Stakes.

He has had the occasional big day in the sun, like when winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot in 2020 but given that was behind closed doors, none of his Kennet Valley Thoroughbred members who own him were able to cheer him home.

There were plenty on the Knavesmire, though, as he became embroiled in a battle with William Haggas’ classy favourite Dubai Honour but dug deep for his jockey Ben Curtis, with the 15-2 shot getting the verdict by just a nose.

Guiseley’s Jonathan England described it as a “privilege” to ride Birkenhead to victory in the Sky Bet “Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe” Handicap at York.

National Hunt luminaries such as Tom Scudamore, twice a previous winner, Aidan Coleman and Sam Twiston-Davies were all taking part but it was the lesser-known England, who rides principally for his wife, Sam, who won Saturday’s opener on the 25-1 shot.

“That was very enjoyable. I rode in it last year for Paul but didn’t have much luck (last of 10),” said England.

Kevin Ryan’s Catch The Paddy (5-4 favourite) looks set for a step up in class having easily accounted for his rivals in the Sky Bet In Running Racing Nursery Handicap. He holds an entry in the Gimcrack at the Ebor meeting but connections may decide to wait before taking such a steep rise in grade.

The Phil Kirby-trained Red Force One has found a new lease of life at the age of seven and brought up a quick hat-trick in the Sky Bet UK’s No.1 Betting App Handicap.