THE respected international horseracing website Thoroughbred Racing Commentary recently, in an industry first, unveiled its Global Rankings for jockeys, trainers, owners and sires.

Top of each category was an individual, entity or stallion that was Irish or had strong Irish connections. That is an astonishing achievement in such a high-powered and international sport.

Aidan O’Brien, ‘Coolmore Partners’ and Galileo are all pre-eminent in their way and were pretty uncontroversial number ones in the trainers’, owners’ and sires’ tables.

Ryan Moore’s standing at the head of the jockeys’ rankings is also likely to find widespread approval, though there is a growing body of opinion that his occasional dud rides get overlooked by a media which is uncritically in thrall to the taciturn genius, who is first-choice jockey for O’Brien and Coolmore.

The quartet were seen in perfect harmony with the magnificent Minding in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. But things went far less well with Order Of St George in the Long Distance Cup and Seventh Heaven in the Fillies & Mares, and the finger of blame can justifiably be pointed at Moore with the former and possibly with the latter.

Arguably, Order Of St George’s best two efforts - in the Irish St Leger last year and the Arc this year - came in well-run races which produced good timefigures.

The Long Distance Cup was anything but well-run, as a winning timefigure for Sheikhzayedroad of just 71 plus the sectionals confirm, and the strong-galloping colt was too far back turning in.

He made inroads from that point, but was running against a pace bias and can be excused for doing too little, too late. Sectional upgrading - detailed in Sectional Timing, An Introduction by Timeform - has Order Of St George best in the race, albeit narrowly. This is one which got away.

It is possible to be more forgiving of Moore’s ride on Seventh Heaven, who has appeared to need a lot of warming up even when ultimately winning big races impressively, especially as the Fillies & Mares winner, Journey, scored by a clear margin and in a decent time (timefigure of 119).

But Journey - under Moore’s closest pursuer in those TRC jockey rankings, Frankie Dettori - was perfectly positioned when it mattered, whereas Seventh Heaven was not.

That said, while Seventh Heaven ran on well late on, third-placed Queen’s Trust made the most headway from off the pace and is perhaps the most exciting of the beaten fillies with the future in mind.