One golden couple and two perfect symbols for this sport light up Champions Day

For the golden couple it was the most glittering afternoon. There has been much misery this Flat season, yet some distraction from the curse of Covid has been the twin blessing of Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand. On an afternoon packed full of fabulous feelgood stories, theirs was the best. Wonderful Tonight? It was bloody marvellous today.

This can be a sport of cynicism, not least when we reach Qipco British Champions Day, an occasion that irks some because of the tendency for Ascot's ground to be gruelling.

It was like that again, and the results at times seemed strange, but only the harshest cynics and hardest hearts could fail to have been touched, thrilled and delighted by the four wins gained by two people who are the perfect symbols for this sport.