In the absence of Love conjecture blooms - but does O'Brien know his Arc anchor?

As soon as Aidan O’Brien ruled Love out of what promised to be an epic showdown with Enable in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, various postulations about what exactly motivated the decision flourished on social media.

There was the usual scatter of, ah, groundless conspiracy theories, but it was notable how few suggested O’Brien was shirking the challenge. The Ballydoyle maestro isn’t inclined to swerve daunting assignments with his stars, and he has always strove to keep everybody else’s honest.

Be it Sea The Stars, Frankel or Enable, he, more than any other, has demanded Flat racing’s equine titans earn their place among the immortals. Indeed, there was a hint of the opposite being true at York this year when Enable was diverted from her mooted Yorkshire Oaks duel with Love.