'When we were winning Arcs we had 250 horses, now it's 20 - but give me a Group 3 horse and I'll win a Group 1, I'll show you'

The carpet in Saeed bin Suroor's office feels thick, lush and expensive. A small number of photographs occupy one of the walls, while on the large desk positioned at a right angle to the door is a wooden box containing plump dates, each one nestling in a loose paper case. Apart from that, the office is filled with empty space, memories, hope and belief.

There is also water, lots of it. As Bin Suroor awaits the appearance of the morning's second lot at Godolphin Stables, he first invites us to take a date before reaching down and pulling from nowhere small bottles of Evian. "It is French," he says, noting the appropriateness of the beverage given the hook for our meeting is that this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe marks the 30th anniversary of the first of his three victories in Europe's most prestigious Flat race.

Bin Suroor suggests this is not possible.