RTÉ’s GAA pundit Colm O’Rourke was the special guest at this week’s Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards in Trim, Co Meath.

The former All-Ireland winning footballer is a huge racing fan and joked that Leo Varadkar must also be keen.

“The Taoiseach says he admires people who get up early in the morning, so he must mean stable staff.”

Having led his local club Simonstown Gaels to two county titles (he stepped down as manager in January) O’Rourke said he knows the value of having a good backroom team, such as you would find in any successful racing yard or stud farm.

Asked by MC Richard Forristal if Meath or any team can stop Dublin’s four-in-a-row bid this year, O’Rourke said: “I admire Dublin, they have saved football, but the sport needs another heavyweight to take them on.

“Sport thrives on rivalries like that of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. Dublin’s success will go on and on.