HE [Shane Fetherston-haugh] had not been back long from the Caribbean when he was pulled to one side by Cecil. Straightaway Cecil came to the point. He wanted Fetherstonhaugh to partner Frankel in his daily training exercise and so one of the most famous Newmarket Heath alliances was born. ‘Once he asked, I would never say I wouldn’t ride any horse,’ says Fetherstonhaugh.

The initial reluctance he had outlined was in many ways understandable. Frankel had already been crowned a champion – how do you improve on that?