Aidan O'Brien has become the country's latest world record holder after Ballingarry became the young Irish trainer's 23rd Group-Grade One race winner of the year in France yesterday.
Ballingarry, ridden by Jamie Spencer, led home an O'Brien clean sweep in Europe's last top-flight flat race of the season, the Criterium de St Cloud. Castle Gandolfo (Mick Kinane) and Black Sam Bellamy (Seamus Heffernan) filled the places.
It sets the seal on the most successful year ever enjoyed by a trainer, breaking the previous record held by the American legend Bob Baffert, and O'Brien may not be finished yet.
The 32-year-old trainer has outlined plans for his four-year-old colt Bach to travel to Hong Kong for the International Cup race which is to be staged there on December 16th.
However, O'Brien was happy to savour the record-breaking moment in Paris yesterday, six months after picking up the first Group One of a remarkable season with Rose Gypsy in the French 1,000 Guineas. Typically, he was keen to share the credit.
"It's great to do it, and in such style, but it really is a team effort. We have been fortunate to have such a great bunch of horses.
"If there is one highlight of the year, it is possibly Galileo winning the English Derby but they have, virtually down to a horse, been all superstars," O'Brien said.
Galileo added to that Epsom Derby triumph by also winning the Budweiser Irish Derby and the King George at Ascot where the colt overcame a famous challenge by the Godolphin horse, Fantastic Light.
However, the greatest contributor to the new world record is the unbeaten two year old Johannesburg who picked up Group One races in Ireland, Britain, France and most memorably of all in the US last month in the Breeders Cup.
Johannesburg is now favourite for next year's Kentucky Derby while Hawk Wing and Rock Of Gibraltar are among the favourite's for the English 2,000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby.
It's an unparalleled depth of classic talent but that is unlikely to shake the composure of Co Wexford born O'Brien who left school at 15 and was champion trainer over jumps before being hired by the Coolmore Stud supremo John Magnier in 1996.
The pressure to produce top-flight classic horses from the world famous Ballydoyle stable is considerable but far from cracking, O'Brien seems to be thriving on the challenge.
It may seem strange now but at the start of a foot and mouth delayed season in April, there were those who doubted O'Brien had a top-notcher in his yard and patience became a necessity.
The previous year's top juvenile Minardi was only fourth in the 2,000 Guineas, and Mozart was well beaten in a pair of Trial races, before Rose Gypsy kick-started the classic campaign. It rarely faltered afterwards.
A total of 20 winners from just 99 runners in Britain is enough for O'Brien to become the first overseas trainer since Vincent O'Brien in 1977 to top the UK trainers table.
Comparisons with the founder of Ballydoyle, who is no relation, have been made since O'Brien first started training for Magnier and the Monte Carlo based Michael Tabor.
However, O'Brien, the younger, gives every indication his impact on racing around the world may still be only gathering momentum.
