Not as simple as you may think in a wonderful year for O'Brien

Twenty-five Group 1 wins in the bag, and still time for more. It is a superb achievement by everyone associated with Ballydoyle and Coolmore and for all his persistence in deflecting the credit in every conceivable direction bar the stable cat, it is a personal triumph for Aidan O'Brien, who has established a new benchmark for Irish and European racing.

There is a certain allure attached to the term of 'world record'. O'Brien's pursuit of Bobby Frankel's 2003 score, equalled at Ascot last Saturday and now long odds-on to be overtaken, has added much to the unfolding drama of the season.

It is potentially a useful tool with which to broaden the appeal of the sport, since an overarching narrative such as this can resonate among people with a general interest in sport.