Godolphin's Cup triumph allows Britain to bask in much-needed reflected glory

It was only really a matter of time. British interest in the Lexus Melbourne Cup seems to grow every year, and the dam was finally breached on Tuesday when Cross Counter became the first horse from these shores to win Australia’s signature race.

The three-year-old’s victory caps an annus mirabilis for trainer Charlie Appleby, whose internal clock will require some rebooting after he flew in from Louisville following Line Of Duty’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Then again, perhaps there is no jet lag up there on cloud nine.

Britain’s challenge for this year’s Cup was probably its strongest yet. It was difficult to see how locally-trained horses were going to keep the prize at home, since no developed racing nation has undergone as thorough a recent transformation as Australia. The land that once put a positive emphasis on stamina has become obsessed with speed.