IT was a good Royal Ascot for Irish trainers. Eight Irish-trained winners fell two short of 2016’s record 10, but it was one more than last year, it was equal to the totals of every year from 2012 to 2015 inclusive, and five different trainers were represented.

Aidan O’Brien led the charge again, as is his wont. He only just claimed the leading trainer’s title, if Merchant Navy had been beaten by a short-head in the Diamond Jubilee instead of winning it by a short-head, the title would have been John Gosden’s.