Stott not to blame for Steel loss

IT MUST be tough enough to so nearly win the Derby and then endure the torment of some folk saying it was your fault. Greville Starkey and Pat Eddery endured such torture back in the 1980s and, now through the devil that’s social media, the criticism is all the more damning.

King Of Steel’s narrow failure will hardly be remembered in the same light as those of Dancing Brave and El Gran Señor, but there are plenty out there who actually believe Kevin Stott was to blame for his mount conceding Classic glory to Auguste Rodin.

Even Stott was big enough to admit he perhaps committed a shade too soon, but when opportunity knocks, and split-second decisions need to be made? The bottom line is he gave the horse every chance of winning, only to come up shy behind a high-class and willing rival.