Whatever might or might not be wrong with it, the Arc still stands alone as the greatest race in the world

I wasn't born for Ribot, which some greybeards say was the best of all. I was born in the same year as Sea-Bird, so was only three when he won. The first Arc winner I truly remember was Sassafras, in 1970, although I half wish I'd waited until the following year for Mill Reef. That really was one to savour.

Sassafras was the rogue who beat Nijinsky, with whom I was in love. With him and Lester Piggott, to be more accurate. They were the montage and soundtrack to the obsession that nobody at my primary school quite seemed to get.

There was Rheingold (owned by the violin-playing owner of a dodgy London drinking club frequented by Sporting Life staff), who beat Allez France after Lester had jocked off Yves Saint-Martin, who rode Allez France; then Allez France (for Saint-Martin) and later Star Appeal, under Greville Starkey. Not to mention two Allegeds for Lester, and then Rainbow Quest.