THE international element of modern thoroughbred racing has never have been better demonstrated than by the exploits of Highland Reel this season.

The son of Galileo began his three-year-old season in Longchamp in the French Guineas last May, he then took in the French Derby at Chantilly where he was second to a good horse in New Bay. Then it was the Irish Derby at the Curragh where he sweated up badly, before heading to Glorious Goodwood for his first win of the season and off to the USA in August to win the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes in a downpour.

It was back home to Leopardstown for the Irish Champions Stakes, then down under for the Australian summer and a third in the Cox Plate and he ended his season with his best performance in the Hong Kong Vase. He turned out to be a truly international campaigner. Where once he sweated up badly before his races and did not look the most likely horse to take to travelling around the world he looked totally calm and focused in Hong Kong.

He will never be considered for a Horse of the Year award but for his endeavours he certainly deserved a special merit one. You could even say he deserved as much honours as some of his more vaunted stablemates.