IRISH racing has an enviable record on the international flat racing stage in recent years, not least courtesy of that man O’Brien. But perhaps the most notable success of all was struck earlier this month with a 1-2-3 in the Emirates Melbourne Cup, in which the winner Rekindling was provided by that other man O’Brien, Aidan’s son Joseph.

I was lucky enough to be at Flemington for what was an historic moment in Irish sport and proudly dusted off my distant Donovan-from-County-Cork credentials to celebrate accordingly. Nine of the first 11 places were filled by foreign raiders, but Irish-trained runners were the ones who truly dominated.