From Kingman’s imposing victory in the St. James’s Palace Stakes to Slade Power’s deadly demonstration of power sprinting in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Royal Ascot 2014 dished out some of the best flat-racing we have seen all year.

Not surprising considering that the 30 races run during the five high-quality days attracted some of the best horses from Great Britain, Europe and North America.

Right from Day One one could feel that something special was happening, and I’m not just referring to the pomp and pageantry on display. We were treated to some outstanding performances by both horse and jockey, where Ryan Moore was seen at his splendid best.

Not surprisingly, he captured the top jockey title for the fourth time in five years with an incredible six wins, capped by a stalwart performance aboard Pique Sous in the Queen Alexandra Stakes on the final day.

Moore is clearly up there among the best riders in the world and once again he demonstrated what separates him from the others. He sits pretty with perfect balance and possesses an impeccable judgement when it comes to the close finish. Above all that he is cool, calm and collected. What more can you ask from a rider when it comes to the kind of races that are run at Royal Ascot.

Sir Michael Stoute was a beneficiary of Moore’s brilliance as he picked up a second top trainer award at the meeting, his first since 2006, and took his tally of wins to 72. Wow!

Dubai-owned horses revelled at the meeting with Mustajeeb and Mutella — giving Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, a smart double when successful in the Jersey Stakes and Sandringham Handicap.

Godolphin may have just come away with the solitary success delivered by Elite Army in the King George V Handicap, but it’s a long season and there are sure to be many more nice wins for the boys in blues in the coming months. Shaikh Rashid Dalmouk Al Maktoum has announced himself as an astute owner — thanks to the exploits of his star filly Rizeena, who ran an absolute blinder to win the Coronation Stakes, one of the major races during the week.

We’re going to see a lot more from her with the next stop being the Falmouth Stakes, three weeks from now at Newmarket’s July meeting.

It’s ever so often that Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail makes his presence felt on the international racing scene and in Channock Chase, winner of the Tercenenary Stakes, he appears to a have another horse worthy of following in the footsteps of his former stars like Kingship Spirit, Kris Kin, Dilshaan and King’s Best.

But if you ask me, the best performance of Royal Ascot 2014 was delivered by John Gosden’s wonderful mare The Fugue, who won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes in absolutely stunning fashion.

That was some accomplishment and it capped, to quote William Buick, “a hugely important week for all the owners and trainers in this country [UK].”