IN their magisterial history of the Irish Derby, published in 1980, Guy Williams and Francis Hyland do not mince words:

The inaugural running of the Irish Sweeps Derby constituted the greatest sports spectacular that had ever been staged in Ireland. Three years of planning, promotion and hard work had produced an international field to contest the richest race ever run in Europe. Besides being the best-quality horse race ever to take place in Ireland, the Irish Sweeps Derby had caught the public imagination as one of the most glamorous social occasions of the year. A glorious summer’s day drew a crowd estimated at between 40,000 and 70,000 people, including HE President de Valera, everybody who was anybody in political, social and business circles in Ireland, as well as Turf celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world. The vision of Joe McGrath, allied to the promotional genius of Spencer Freeman, had combined to elevate Irish racing to the international status that Irish-bred horses had gained many years before.