WE have moved quite a way from the days when Ascot’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes was the must-see race of the summer. There was always tremendous anticipation when a dual Derby winner went on to prove himself against his elders in the Ascot feature.

I can remember back to 1977 when a broken TV meant no coverage and we had to tune in to the RTE radio commentary to learn if the dual Derby winner The Minstrel had proven himself against the older horses. Then the programme went off air, with a stewards’ inquiry still pending as though he had won, he hung into Orange Bay and a listener could have no idea how serious the interference was and were in oblivion until the Six O’Clock News.

Then the years of top fillies Dahlia, Pawneese and Time Charter, star three-year-olds in St Jovite, Dancing Brave and Montjeu. The years when the older horse came out on top, Brigadier Gerard, Ela-Mana-Mou, Mtoto, Daylami. They were simply the best of their generations.

The 1984 renewal remains a standout when it was Teenoso beating Sadler’s Wells and Tolomeo, with Sun Princess, Time Charter and Darshaan in the field, a feast of Group 1 winners.

Hopefully, the prayers for summer rain are answered as today, Cracksman’s appearance is a boost as without him, we have just two winners of three Group 1s, Poet’s Word and Hydrangea with two.

Strangely, the favourite has yet to win a Group 1, though Sir Michael Stoute plotted a similar course with Harbinger in 2010. On the other hand, nine of the 12 winners since 2006 had at least one previous Group 1 win.

With the Derby winner sidelined, and only Rostropovich from the younger generation taking up the challenge, the race won’t give a definite comparison on the relative merits of the older horses with the three-year-olds now that Kew Gardens misses the race.