the field to take the lead approaching the final furlong and won by a length from Alcazar. Rod Millman said "The horse is a privilege to be involved with. He's just a great credit to the team, I’m just the front man" while Dettori added "This horse hasn’t stopped surprising people and he's become a household name. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race and he's always there for you". On 1 October the gelding was sent to France and was made the 2/1 favourite for the Group 1 Prix du Cadran over 4000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in which he was faced by six opponents including Alcazar, Reefscape (winner of the race in 2005), Le Miracle (Prix Gladiateur) and Shamdala (Gran Premio di Milano). Sergeant Cecil turned into the straight in sixth place and overcame trouble in running before overhauling the leader Shamdala in the last 200 metres and winning by three-quarters of a length. His victory was enthusiastically received and he was described as "Britain's most popular horse". Three weeks later Sergeant Cecil returned to Longchamp for the Prix Royal Oak and finished strongly to take third place behind the four-year-olds Montare and Bellamy Cay. Later career As in the previous year, Sergeant Cecil began his 2007 campaign in April by finishing fourth in the John Porter Stakes before contesting the Yorkshire Cup in May. He was ridden by Jimmy Fortune at York and started the 100/30 favourite in a ten-runner field which included Munsef (King George V Stakes), The Last Drop (runner-up in the St Leger), Allegretto, Geordieland (Grand Prix de Chantilly) and Percussionist. After racing towards the rear as usual, Sergeant Cecil came with a late rush, gained the advantage inside the final furlong and won by three quarters of a length from Geordieland. Sergeant Cecil made no impact in his three remaining races that year. He finished tailed-off in last place behind Yeats in the Ascot Gold Cup, sixth of seven behind Dylan Thomas in an ambitious bid for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and fifth to Septimus when attempting to repeat his 2006 victory in the Lonsdale Cup. He missed the rest of the season after contracting a "nasty lung infection". Sergeant Cecil remained in training as a nine-year-old but was unable to recover his best form, running unplaced in the John Porter Stakes, Yorkshire Cup and Henry II