FOR the second time in as many years (two), an Irish-trained horse went mighty close in the race that stops one nation and makes some people in others set their alarms for 3.50am.

The Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite was unlucky last year, he was beaten by a largely unconsidered 100/1 shot and, if he had gone left instead of right at the two-furlong pole, he probably would have won by a half a length instead of getting beaten by a half a length.

Heartbreak City was beaten by a head on Tuesday morning, and that was, well, heartbreaking. Although you wouldn’t have known it if you watched co-owner Aidan Shiels’ post-race interview with hapless Channel 7 reporter Neil Kearney.

If you have a smart phone or a computer with a screen and a connection that is faster than that provided by a 56k modem, you have probably seen the interview by now.

Or what amounted to an interview, after Shiels released the reporter from that bear hug. It was television gold.

Heartbreak City was unlucky, not in the run, but in that he came up against Almandin, because the pair of them pulled four lengths clear of favourite Hartnell. It was a massive performance by the horse, and it was a serious training performance by Tony Martin, for whom the Lando gelding was a first runner in the Cup.

It is only seven months since Heartbreak City won a handicap at Cork off a mark of 88, and it is only six since he won his maiden hurdle.

God knows how things would have panned out if Heartbreak City had won. It was well named, that Here For The Craic Partnership.