We all love to win but sometimes you can get as much enjoyment from a promising debut and there was so much to like about the first appearance of INCITEMENT in the 10-furlong maiden at Newbury on Saturday.
Incitement finished fourth to Derby entry Fiorente, and Harry Herbert, spokesman for the owners, the Highclere Thoroughbreds syndicate, could barely have been more animated had the gelding won.
He said: "The first three home had all had a previous run, and Kieren (Fallon) is adamant that if they met again Incitement would come out on top. Incitement has not been able to get on the grass and ran green, yet he still gave us reason for a bit of a shout inside the last furlong, only to get a bit tired. He is a very exciting prospect and Ed told me that he would have been disappointed if he had not run well as he has been producing some excellent work on the Al Bahathri gallop."