Doyle demotion a mystery, but don't bet he won't bounce back

It's over but we can still be friends – the words anyone in a relationship dreads as it is usually the first stage on the road to unreturned phone calls and new beginnings.

Whether this will be the case for Saeed Bin Suroor and James Doyle remains to be seen. Seldom has there been such a bemused response in press circles to the reasons and timing of the announcement that Doyle would no longer be automatic first choice for the Bin Suroor horses and the rides would be given to whoever best suited the individual horse concerned.

It has undoubtedly been a tough season for Bin Suroor, who is languishing well down the trainers' list, but this had largely been attributed to sickness issues that have at times this season affected various Newmarket yards – which if correct can hardly be blamed on the rider.