Dettori misses Sandown but first real blow could come if Inspiral runs on Friday

In the ruthless environment that is Flat racing's top tier, you can bank only so much goodwill and cash. The former will likely run out before the latter. Just ask Frankie Dettori, a very obvious absentee from a Coral-Eclipse in which he has so often set Sandown alight.

Dettori and Lord North combined only seven times but earned prize-money in excess of £3.5 million, much of that coming from back-to-back wins in Meydan's Dubai Turf.

Unfortunately for Dettori, our most recent – and likely final – memory of their lucrative union came as the sport's highest-profile participant frantically attempted to remove the hood from Lord North's head, just as four opponents galloped away from his static mount at Ascot. If any moment symbolised Dettori's largely miserable time at the royal meeting, it was this one.