IT used to be the case that Irish-trained horses struggled in the Sky Bet Ebor. When the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mediterranean won the Ebor in 2001, he was the first Irish-trained winner of the race in almost 30 years.

It was another eight years before the next, the Willie Mullins-trained Sesenta, but then they rolled along: Dirar, Mutual Regard, Heartbreak City and Mustajeer. Five of the last 12 Ebor winners were trained in Ireland.