Muta wasn’t an easy ride at Leicester, hanging and with an awkward head carriage Silvestre managed to keep him going to win by a fast diminishing neck.

“A competitive handicap in which the first two pulled nicely clear. MUTAFAAKIR, 5lb higher than his Thirsk win in September, made light of a seven-month absence as he found plenty for pressure to gain a narrow victory. This was a career best and, although he pulled clear with the second, he will need to improve again to defy a rise.”

– The Racing Post