Ireland’s global reputation as the land of the thoroughbred was further enhanced this week when horses trained in Kilkenny and Tipperary finished first and second in the A$8 million (€5 million) Melbourne Cup.

Both the winner, Twilight Payment, and runner-up, Tiger Moth, were bred in Ireland too, and so they carry the IRE suffix, leaving viewers in no doubt as to where they came from.

Twilight Payment is trained in Piltown, Co Kilkenny by Joseph O’Brien, the 27-year-old eldest son of Aidan O’Brien, who himself trains Tiger Moth. Remarkably the father-son combination also filled the first two placings in the 2017 Melbourne Cup, when Joseph’s Rekindling led home Aidan’s Johannes Vermeer.

Sending horses around the world to compete at Melbourne’s Spring Carnival is a tricky business at the best of times, but this year it was especially difficult. Australia’s strict Covid-19 restrictions meant that the stable staff had to quarantine separately from the horses for two weeks in the lead-up to the race.

Quarantine

Neither Aidan nor Joseph travelled to Australia, as to do so would require a further period of quarantine on return to Ireland. The trainers are better off staying at home where they can oversee the preparation of horses for more big international races, such as this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky, where Aidan O’Brien is expected to have seven runners.

Co Kildare trainers Jessica Harrington, Dermot Weld and Ken Condon, plus Co Meath’s Ger Lyons will also be represented.

All of this success abroad indirectly raises the value of all Irish bloodstock. Any astute international bloodstock agent knows that Irish form is the best in the world and the horse who finished fourth at the Curragh or third in Roscommon is probably good enough to win races in California or indeed Melbourne.