With a quiet, contrite voice, Frankie Dettori said sorry - but he had nothing to be sorry about

The old showbiz adage, and one being heeded quite spectacularly by Frankie Dettori, is you should leave them wanting more. So magnificent was his Knavesmire display aboard Mostahdaf, even a member of the vanquished favourite's camp made a point of telling the genius who derailed Paddington that he is departing the stage too soon.

It was a brief conversation and took place in York's paddock ten or so minutes after Dettori had executed a tactical tour de force. It was also Dettori who devised the plan, albeit he stressed it had been a team effort. There was a Tuesday morning discussion with John Gosden, and then a chat over a cuppa with Richard Hills. Together, they worked out the best way of beating Paddington. It worked extraordinarily well.

While Dettori and Mostahdaf soaked up the acclaim on the track, a summit meeting was taking place in the paddock. Aidan O'Brien, MV Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Paul Smith formed a semi-circle around Ryan Moore, five heads angled forward in the jockey's direction as he debriefed them on what had just occurred. There was a philosophical look on Moore's face. Confronted by a 52-year-old maestro at his most sublime, there was nothing more Moore could have done.