AFTER a season when we lauded the eager young riders with an eye on the jockeys’ title - the Murphys, Doyles, Marquands and Curtis - and also saw a shift in power among the training ranks - with the likes of Donnacha O’Brien and Thady Gosden moving to the fore - you would be forgiven for thinking we had heralded a new era in flat racing.

But we were reminded last weekend that there is no substitute for experience. The old dog for the hard road, so to speak.