There have been many tributes to the late trainer Barry Hills who, it is well documented, set exacting standards of both himself and those he employed.
Hills was renowned for his sharp tongue and low tolerance of mistakes thus earning the nickname 'Mr Combustible', but those who knew him well recall a more genial and sociable side to his personality, and a man with a soft centre.
This was most evident in the winners' enclosure at Doncaster after the St Leger in 1994. Hills had just won the oldest Classic with the 40/1 Sheikh Mohammed-owned outsider Moonax (ridden by Pat Eddery) but there was nothing celebratory about his demeanour afterwards.
Indeed, he appeared very close to tears as Moonax, in the last few strides, had denied the swashbuckling front-runner Broadway Flyer who was trained by Hills' oldest son John and ridden by Michael, twin brother of Richard.
For John Hills, a lovely man who sadly passed way too young, a Classic win at what was an embryonic stage of his career would have been a considerable boost. His father, who began training as a result of a successful gamble and from limited foundations, would have known this all too well and could barely speak to the press afterwards.
It was an affecting moment for all of those present and it is my abiding memory of a man who won so many of the sport's biggest prizes.
There was no fluke about Moonax's win as he followed up in the Prix Royal Oak six weeks later before winning the Yorkshire Cup, when briefly switched to Saeed Bin Suroor, the following year.
There were also fine seconds in the Gold Cup (behind Double Trigger), Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran but, later on, he became very temperamental and was even tried (unsuccessfully) in three novice hurdles.
The only Classic Hills could never quite crack was the Derby, even with his subsequent Arc winner Rheingold, who was narrowly beaten by the Lester Piggott-ridden Roberto in a wild finish which, if repeated these days, would probably have the BHA's Whip Review Committee retreating to a darkened room.
Saturday's Coral-Eclipse, first run in 1886, also eluded him and the roll of honour proves that you need an exceptional horse to win.
Aidan O'Brien has won three of the last four runnings (St Mark's Basilica, Paddington and City Of Troy) and a record eight times in all beginning with 'The Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway who, ridden by the ancient George Duffield in 2000, narrowly denied Kalanisi in a memorable battle.
The Ballydoyle trainer runs Camille Pissarro, who was perhaps a little fortunate to find a gap in last month's Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), and the Derby flop Delacroix who had impressed in his trials.
Before the Jockey Club at Chantilly, O'Brien was caught on microphone talking to Ryan Moore saying that Camille was "lovely", and this dark-skinned colt is certainly going the right way. He really caught the eye in the parade ring that day.
Delacroix, like many others, was never competitive at Epsom and may well be suited by a return to a mile-and-a-quarter.
Moore has chosen to ride him with Christophe Soumillon an intriguing booking for Camille Pissarro, who he rode at Longchamp last autumn and again in the French Guineas.
But the Eclipse has also been a happy race for John Gosden and his four winners - Nathaniel, Golden Horn, Roaring Lion and Enable - have all been right out of the top drawer.
The Royal Ascot winner Ombudsman could easily be up to that class and, next to his stable companion Field Of Gold, was probably the most impressive winner at the whole meeting in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes (replay below).
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That was a big step forward for the Night Of Thunder colt who didn't get the clearest of runs through the field before kicking away, but one wonders if he was slightly flattered by what appeared to be an overly-strong pace set by O'Brien's Continuous in his pace-making duties for stablemate Los Angeles.
Amid the subsequent speed collapse, Jim Crowley probably found himself in front too soon aboard the smooth-travelling runner-up Anmaat, while the others looked like they were staggering home from the pub.
Despite two victories around Saturday's trip this season, it's possible that the French challenger Sosie, whose sire Sea The Stars won this race in 2009, is better suited by a mile-and-a-half. Both talented and handsome, he is not to be underestimated whereas the Guineas winner Ruling Court now has a bit to prove going up in trip and attempting to bounce back from a lacklustre effort at the Royal meeting.
Also going further is Hotazhell who made an encouraging reappearance in the Irish Guineas albeit no match for the scintillating Field Of Gold.
In conclusion, it's Ombudsman versus Camille Pissarro for me in a clash of the generations that this £1million midsummer highlight is designed to produce.
The three-year-olds have won seven of the last 10 runnings and, with little flesh on the bones of Ombudsman's price, the value could lie with the younger horse.
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