FOR me, the standout element of the 2024 Irish flat season was Britain’s success in our Group 1 races. It began with a cleansweep of the classics, and Rosallion and Haatem providing Richard Hannon with a 1-2 in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, a race his father won on three occasions.

Hannon Jr couldn’t, or refused to, hide what the win meant to him, and said: “It’s emotional, because so much work goes into these horses at home with a big team. I’m really pleased. These days are very rare and we’re going to enjoy it.”