The day Sheikh Mohammed got the train to Brighton, was misnamed in the racecard and got hooked on British racing

The brown filly would have earned a round of applause from favourite backers when she returned to the winner’s enclosure after a humble two-year-old maiden at Brighton 48 years ago.

Sent off at even-money, she had just sauntered to a five-length victory under ace Australian jockey Ron Hutchinson, who subsequently debriefed her trainer John Dunlop after the Bevendean Maiden Stakes over an extended five furlongs. The mood was low-key: it was the Monday after Royal Ascot, where Sagaro had stormed to a record-breaking third successive victory in the Gold Cup.

Standing beside Dunlop in the winner’s enclosure was the filly’s owner, a bearded 27-year-old from the little-known emirate of Dubai. He took a keen interest in the post-race formalities after venturing to Brighton by train.