EVERY so often in your sporting life you see something so wonderful, so magnificent, that you instantly know you are never going to forget it.

It happened to me last Saturday when I watched the King George and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. It’s a race I watch every year in the hope that I will see a repeat of the 1975 running in which Grundy and Bustino and their jockeys Pat Eddery and Joe Mercer gave us the Race of the 20th Century, the former just prevailing under Eddery in a true battle of champions.

Two horses at the height of their powers and two great jockeys at the height of their powers, and while there have been finishes nearly as epic in many Group One contests, there has never been a repeat of it for me. Until last Saturday, that is, and thanks to Enable and Crystal Ocean and Frankie Dettori and James Doyle, I have no hesitation in saying that I think we have just seen the Race of the 21st Century – and it’s only 2019.

Yes, I know there are many contenders for that accolade, particularly in the USA, but this was the all-aged summer championship of British and Irish racing, and I still believe racing in these islands is the best anywhere. So I cannot believe that there has not been more hype about last Saturday’s race and its extraordinary finish between the wonder mare and the most improved horse in British racing. It really was utterly exceptional.

Just like Grundy and Bustino, it was clear as the leaders turned into the straight that there were only going to be two horses involved in the finish, and as they neared the two furlong pole, Doyle sent Crystal Ocean ahead only for Frankie to immediately react and bring Enable alongside.

By the 350-yards-from-home marker I was on the edge of my seat because I knew, I just knew, this was going to be the Race of our Ages. So it proved, with Enable getting her head in front only for Crystal Ocean to battle back against the rails. Two fantastically brave horses and two brilliant jockeys came into the final furlong alongside each other, and at one point Crystal Ocean seemed to get his nose just ahead.

Enable is the true star of racing just now. The double Arc winner is beloved by all for her class and guts, and now it was the latter quality that came to the fore as she dug deep to somehow get back in front.

Then I saw something elegiac in the midst of this epic contest. I can only compare it to the eighth round of the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 when Muhammad Ali unleashed that final flurry of punches to fell George Foreman and regain the world heavyweight championship. The final two punches, a left hook and a straight right to Foreman’s jaw, sent the champion reeling like a drunken man on a staircase. Ali was poised to club his opponent again, but as he later admitted, he knew he had his man and didn’t want to spoil the beauty of the moment of victory.

In Saturday’s race – and please catch a replay to see what I mean – Frankie Dettori did something magical in that frantic final furlong. All his instincts must have been telling him to use the whip on Enable, but half a furlong out he just settled into the drive position and used hands and heels only to cajole Enable to the winning post. It was as if the maestro knew this was a special moment and he didn’t want it to be remembered for him beating the champion with the leather persuader.

And so the race was won in exemplary style, and now we must all wait to see if Enable can win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for an unprecedented third year in a row.

For racing fans this is an exciting time, but for Scottish racing fans in particular there is someone who is making our season extra special. Danny Tudhope’s bid to become champion jockey is hugely exciting for all involved with racing in Scotland, from trainers to punters, from racecourse staff to racehorse owners.

After his efforts at Royal Ascot where he rode four winners from 11 starts, people have really begun to take notice of the Ayrshireman who only started riding because his school’s careers adviser suggested it.

He has kept on improving over the years and at Glorious Goodwood this week he showed his courage and developing skill to drive home unfancied 25-1 shot Fayez in the opening handicap.

At the time of writing he has slipped behind his great rival Oisin Murphy, but the two are well clear of the field, like Enable and Crystal Ocean on Saturday. Murphy is backed by the big southern yards, but Tudhope is the northern circuit’s champion, and now that he is getting to ride better horses as well as being stable jockey to David O’Meara, the Scot has an outstanding chance of becoming flat racing’s champion jockey.

He would be only the second Scot to achieve that title, with Willie Carson being the only other Scottish winner, the last of his five championships being achieved in 1983.

Tudhope has the better strike rate and has won more money than Murphy, but the championship is calculated on the basis of wins – that should be the criterion for the trainers’ championship, too, as Scots-born Mark Johnston would win it most years.

So come on, Danny, make some history.