ALL the way back in 1895 the Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling wrote his famous poem, If, and lines 11 and 12 of that celebrated composition ring as true today as they did well over a century ago.

The lines in question – “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same” – came to mind after last Saturday’s events at Ascot and, in particular, Frankie Dettori’s ill-judged outburst following the Long Distance Cup.