THE accompanying table shows that just four of Aidan O’Brien’s best racehorses have ever accumulated seven Group or Grade 1 victories on the flat (Istabraq collected 14 over hurdles) throughout their career. Highland Reel (Galileo) now joins Minding, Rock Of Gibraltar and Yeats in that select group. Furthermore, the five-year-old’s truly magnificent international race record is also printed to show what a stalwart he has been.

Breeders should be falling over themselves to avail of a horse who has shown remarkable traits of consistency, toughness and heart, and he has an outstanding stallion pedigree, his first four dams all being responsible for at least one Group 1 winner. I don’t imagine his fee will always be as low as €17,500.