“I am over the moon,” Greg Broderick told The Irish Field this morning. “I got the call at 9.30 this morning while I was at home here riding some four-year-olds.”

“But I really feel for Bertram, he is an absolute gentleman,” said the Tipperary rider. "I am very good friends with Bertram and I was certainly hoping in St Gallen last week that things would go his way."

Broderick (31) also said that he received a phone call today from Bertram Allen wishing him well.

“He called me this morning and I called him after I got the news,” said Broderick. “He wished me well and he was very supportive. He was very disappointed, naturally enough, but he took it well. We weren’t on the phone for long but he wished me well. It was very diplomatic of him under the circumstances.”

The Thurles native said that Lee Kruger of Caledonia Stables, MHS Going Global’s owner, was also rooting for Bertram Allen and Molly Malone V at St Gallen.

“Lee is very fond of Bertram and his family in general. Bertram earned the place for Ireland and Lee was hoping he would get it. We were certainly not trying to take the place from him but then Going Global came out and jumped fantastically well,” said Broderick. "He jumped two double clears in the Nations Cup and the Grand Prix and the higher powers made the decision,” he said.

Broderick continued: “If Bertram had been selected, we would all have been behind him 110%. Everybody at the show last week was hoping it would go his way.”

“But the call had to be made and it went my way.”

When asked if he had expected the call from Horse Sport Ireland, Broderick said: “I was more hopeful than expecting it but after St Gallen I was very confident that I had probably had the best horse when he came out all guns blazing.”

He continued: “It was a massive call by Horse Sport Ireland and Robert Splaine. We had a slow start to the year but we really got going and now it’s up to me to make sure Going Global gets to the Olympics in the best possible form. I will sit down with Robert and make a plan for the coming weeks.”

"I have every confidence that we can go to Rio and take home a medal."

Broderick paid tribute to MHS Going Global’s owner, Lee Kruger: “The interest we have had in the horse at every show we go to is incredible, people are always trying to buy him. I think 99.9% of owners would have sold him but Lee has resisted it all and changed my life and I think she has helped put the spotlight back on Ireland as a place that we can breed and produce horses for the top level. I think the whole country will benefit from showcasing Going Global at Rio."

Meanwhile, Ireland's Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor said: "Massive congratulations to Greg Broderick on being selected by Robert Splaine with the Irish Sport Horse MHS Going Global as Ireland's sole representative at this summer's Rio Olympics. A massive experience that they will relish and hopefully bring back a gold medal for Ireland."

Read more about Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global’s form

MORE ON THIS STORY AND THE RIO OLYMPICS IN THE IRISH FIELD THIS WEEKEND