WE felt like a fresh bunch of fillies and colts lining up for our first maiden race, upon arriving at Kildangan Stud for the commencement of Darley Flying Start. It’s fair to say a bunch of us have had some quality breaking-in from all corners of the globe, but nothing could have prepped us for such an incredible ride.

Briefly, we consist of six Americans, two Irish and one Spaniard, Chinese, Singaporean and Australian. There are eight women and four men with varied interests and career ambitions but one unified passion for thoroughbred horses. That’s it in short. Traditionally, this article will take you through some of the highlights of the phase but, my word, it’s hard to pick. I’ll categorise them into two different areas; racing and cultural experiences, with a couple of examples of each.