IT takes nearly 17,000km to travel from Dublin city centre to the winner’s enclosure at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Queensland, yet the journey surely must have felt even longer at times for Irish jockey Tom Sherry on his way to a cherished first Group 1 success last weekend.

Judging by his emotional reaction after that breakthrough victory aboard Tashi in the A$700,000 Tattersall’s Tiara, it’s a path that has been worth every step for the 26-year-old, even if it has come with its share of challenges along the way.