'His stride is unbelievably long and when he opens up, he cuts horses down fast'

It's always appeared as though one of the cornerstones of Ballydoyle's unrivalled success has been the importance of routine and consistency – two elements that were distinctly lacking from the Covid-hit year of 2020.

Considering the weeks of uncertainty over the sport's return – at a time when trial races would be establishing the pecking order for their Classic prospects – as well as coming back to a much-altered programme, it was remarkable that Aidan O'Brien's results from last season were largely in line with those of any other year.

A sixth 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket was followed by winning the Irish equivalent a week later, with an Irish Derby 1-2-3-4 recorded within a month of racing's resumption.