VINCENT O’Brien and Down Royal might not be a connection you would instantly think about, especially on the eve of a great weekend of National Hunt racing at the track.

However the most important flat race of the year at Down Royal is the Ulster Derby, a race first run 80 years ago in 1936. The most valuable race run in Northern Ireland, the original master of Ballydoyle won the race seven times, most famously with Caucasus and Transworld, both of which went on to land the Irish St Leger later in the year. Both horses were ridden by Tommy Murphy.