IT seems reasonable to think that this year’s winner of the Unibet-sponsored Irish Gold Cup, Edwulf, will not rival the likes of Carvill’s Hill, Jodami, Beef Or Salmon and Florida Pearl among the race’s greatest winners, but he is its most surprising one to date, and not just in terms of his 33/1 starting price.

He was, of course, the horse who broke down badly at Cheltenham last year, and it seemed a miracle that he was even back in action over the Christmas period. Another pulled-up there was not the most obvious harbinger of success at the highest level on Sunday, but Edwulf is a battler, and he capitalised as others fell by the wayside. Immense credit must go to trainer Joseph O’Brien.