Grayfox Chip, trained by former Oxford champion Nick Colton, should be accorded the freedom of Sandy Lane after rattling up his 18th victory here in the That's Crazy Stakes over 595m on Tuesday.

All but one of those victories have been in open races, and since he opened his account here in January 2005, when he beat Lady Two in an A6, the brindle has been open racing.

Chip, five years old in June, is as game and genuine as they come.

And, despite a trap five draw, he slowly worked his way inside to poke his head in front into the home straight, and there was never any danger from then on.

The victory gave Colton, now training at Reading, a hat-trick of victories from the four open races after Heaslips Hawk and Clover Captain had scored earlier.

I quipped to Colton: "I bet you wish you had a few more like him" - and his response "one would be enough", says it all.