CO Kilkenny rider/producer Brian Murphy had a large team of helpers at Dublin, including owner Amanda Benson, who is always ready to lend a hand. “I just live down the road from Brian and love visiting the yard to watch the horses school,” said Benson.

The usual Irish contingent was backed up by two English girls, who took a week’s holiday to work for Murphy at the show, and Jack Doran, a grandson of the late Billy Connors, who had just turned 11 a couple of days previously and appeared to be assisting in a trouble-shooting role.