The pacemaker becomes the party pooper as the buzz is back at the Curragh

It was all going so well, a crowd of 11,957 basking in glorious sunshine and bringing a buzz back to the Curragh for the first time in years.

The final piece of the jigsaw was a first Irish Derby winner for a legendary 86-year-old trainer. Anthony Van Dyck supplementing his Epsom success and proving himself to be the three-year-old colt would have fitted too. Even Broome sweeping up would have done. Unfortunately, the pacemaker became the party pooper.

Sovereign's job was to ensure a true test so we got the right result but he went above and beyond the call of duty to become the biggest-priced winner of Ireland's most famous Flat race since Weavers' Hall, also a 33-1 shot, in 1973. Neither the horse nor the jockey had won a race this season. Sometimes racing is a riddle you simply cannot solve.