he ran fourth at Downpatrick: in the latter race he was equipped with blinkers and wore the headgear in all of his subsequent races. Eddie Ahern, who became the horse's regular jockey over the next two years, took the ride when San Sebastian recorded his first success in a small race over eleven furlongs at Sligo Racecourse on 1 June. San Sebastian won his next three races, taking minor events over thirteen furlongs at Wexford Racecourse in July and August before coming home five lengths of his rivals at Cork on 11 October. On his last run of the year he finished a close second under a weight of 129 pounds in a thirty-runner handicap at Leopardstown. 1998: four-year-old season On his first run as a four-year-old San Sebastian crossed the line in front in a handicap at Cork on 13 April but was relegated to second after the racecourse stewards ruled that he had hampered the runner-up Archive Footage by hanging to the left in the closing stages. At Clonmel Racecourse a month later he completed an unusual and unwelcome double when he finished first but was disqualified for causing interference to the second placed horse Black Queen. At Gowran Park on 30 May he belatedly opened his winning account for the year as he won "easily" by two lengths from Broken Rites when carrying 130 pounds in a fourteen furlong handicap. On 16 June 1998, San Sebastian was sent to England for the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot. Ridden by Ahern he was assigned a weight of 131 pounds and started at odds of 16/1 against twenty-eight opponents. After being restrained towards the rear of the field he began to make steady progress six furlongs out, overtook the favourite Rainbow Frontier in the straight and drew away to win by four lengths. Ahern commented "I was going so well I had to kick on earlier than I wanted but he really kept going" while Grassick recalled his days as an assistant to his father Christy Grassick saying "I used to look after Godswalk but I missed seeing him win [at Royal Ascot] because somebody had to stay at home and look after the horses. Our worry was the trip but he stayed well today". After finishing first in eight of his last nine races, San Sebastian was strongly fancied when he returned