FROM a domestic point of view, 2016 was a good season for Irish flat horses but, more significantly, it was one in which a number of different stables were able to compete for major prizes.

The five domestic classics were kept at home and were won by five different trainers, while the spread of winners over Irish Champions Weekend was very pleasing.

This, in turn, is reflected in the various divisional champions in Ireland for 2016 with seven different Irish trainers responsible for the top-rated runners in various disciplines.

The likes of Found, Minding, The Gurkha, Highland Reel, Fascinating Rock and Harzand more than held their own relative to their contemporaries from other European jurisdictions. Aside from this group though there were plenty of other elite runners to emerge from these shores.

One of those was Jet Setting whose rags to riches fairytale culminated in an Irish 1000 Guineas victory over Minding. That memorable Curragh triumph ensured that the daughter of Fast Company ended the year rated 120, which compares very favourably with the ratings achieved by previous Irish 1000 Guineas winners.

Just a pound behind Jet Setting is Seventh Heaven. Another member of Aidan O’Brien’s team of star fillies, she was was rated just 98 when winning the Irish Oaks but she followed that with a victory over Found in the Yorkshire Oaks.

After showing quality form during a busy autumn as a juvenile, Alice Springs was even better last year when she notched up Group 1 triumphs in the Falmouth, Matron and Sun Chariot Stakes, which sees her come in at 118. That is the same mark reached by Awtaad whose Irish 2000 Guineas victory for Kevin Prendergast was easily one of the highlights of the season.

After beginning his year with a victory in a Dundalk handicap off a rating of 93, Ardhoomey ended 2016 as the joint highest-rated sprinter in the country at 112. His near last to first charge in the Group 2 Flying Five Stakes, where he edged out Washington DC (111), was his standout effort.

The 112 mark was also reached by Toscanini, who Michael Halford sent out to win listed and Group 3 sprints at the Curragh during the summer.

Ger Lyons was also responsible for the top-rated older miler in the country in the now Australian-based Endless Drama (116). The former Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up produced his best effort of the season when finishing third to Belardo in the Lockinge Stakes.

Several members of the Nationl Hunt fraterity made a notable impression with their runners on the level and Willie Mullins secured a first Group 1 success when former County Hurdle winner Wicklow Brave (115) shocked Order Of St George in the Irish St Leger.

Order Of St George retained his status as the top rated stayer in the country but he only has 2lb to spare over Heartbreak City (118). That one went from winning a handicap hurdle at Galway to landing the Ebor Handicap at York before his agonising near miss in the Melbourne Cup.

Interestingly, several of Tony Martin’s inmates are among the higher-rated flat horses in the country. The versatile Quick Jack, a handicap winner on Irish Champions Weekend, looked better than ever at the age of seven as he moved on to a rating of 110.

Meanwhile, Martin’s Laganore progressed from an opening mark of 87 to 109. She was placed at Group 1 level in Italy late in the season and possibly there could be even more to come from this comparatively lightly raced filly.

On the two-year-old front Aidan O’Brien was utterly dominant and it is rather striking outside of Ballydoyle there were just two Irish juveniles to reach a rating of 110 or higher.

One of these was Joseph O’Brien’s Moyglare Stakes heroine Intricately (112) while the other was Ken Condon’s unbeaten Group 3 winner Landfall (110).