Even as Stephen Gray penned his farewell to the sprinkling of steadfast owners left at his depleted stable of 15 horses, he still could not fathom how it has all come to this.

Eight years ago, he and wife Bridget were on top of the world basking in the glory of their 2016 Singapore Gold Cup winner Bahana.

Granted, horse trainers – or any other sportsperson – cannot expect to keep scooping up awards and big races years on end.

But the New Zealand horseman has still managed to stay in rarefied air with four more Group 1 feathers to his cap, received international invitations to UK in the ensuing years, even during the pandemic.