THE Irish public would consider Arkle the most popular horse ever in spite of the achievements of Dawn Run, Danoli, and others. In Britain, it could be narrowed down to Red Rum in the 1970s, and Brown Jack, who ran in the 1920s and ‘30s.

Brown Jack was not the greatest horse ever but I believe he was the most popular in Britain when winning at Royal Ascot in seven consecutive years from 1928 to 1934, when he raised the spirits of a nation during a depression between two world wars.