City Of Troy stands on the brink of something truly extraordinary - not that you'd know it from the wider sporting media

I'll start with the big news – "Thurles again forced to cancel racing due to lack of rain".

Don't laugh, I'm serious. But anyway, let's not dwell on it. There's plenty happening right now if you're an Irish racing enthusiast. 

If you work in the business, if you're a punter, a committed fan, or a general sports enthusiast, you can look forward to City Of Troy and other Irish hopefuls, including the splendid four-time Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna, at Del Mar on Saturday night. Or to the Melbourne Cup, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when the Irish challenge, courtesy of the Willie Mullins-trained pair Vauban and Absurde, can still be meaningful despite the controversial scratching of Jan Brueghel, a story that has made headlines in the sporting press in both hemispheres.