Fancy a classic? Look no further than the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Punchestown

In the week that's in it, maybe it's a good time to ponder the etymology of a racing classic. Most Flat anoraks will tell you this weekend's Newmarket showpieces are the epitome of a classic, in that they are confined to three-year-olds and bereft of inferior mercenaries known as geldings.

Game Of Thrones fans will appreciate how the unsullied must know their place in a kingdom of ruthless nobility. Heritage dictates we do not besmirch our Classics with such peasantry, for lineage is sacrosanct once these equine aristocrats have proved their worth.

Others, including Horse Racing Ireland, refuse to be beholden to such hidebound and elitist criteria. The Irish St Leger still trades as a Classic according to the authority, despite being open to all ages and every type of neutered misfit, as is the Breeders' Cup, eh, Classic.