Daniel Day-Lewis has proudly flown the Irish flag at the Oscars but when it comes to racing's big event, trainers, jockey and horses from over here are equally big over there, writes James Toney.

Raiders have enjoyed unenviable success at the Breeders' Cup in recent years, following the footsteps of Vincent O'Brien and John Oxx, the first Irish trainers to win at thoroughbred racing's World Championships, when Royal Academy and Ridgewood Pearl won respectively in 1990 and 1995.

Outside the United States, Ireland has produced more Breeders’ Cup stars than any other country, 22 big race winners have been trained in Ireland and 47 bred here too.

So, here’s a look at some Irish headline makers from decades of Breeders’ Cup action.

Tarnawa takes Weld into dreamland

Dermot Weld had already conquered a US Triple Crown race and the Melbourne Cup but a Breeders' Cup success remained frustratingly elusive on the legendary trainer's glittering CV - until Tarnawa rocked up.

Preparations were not ideal, with jockey Christophe Soumillon ruled out due to testing positive for Covid-19, but up stepped Colin Keane to do what he had done with remarkable consistency in Ireland for several years and produce a ride to remember.

Having settled in towards the rear, Keane timed his charge to perfection to steer the filly past Aiden O'Brien's favourite Magical and make Weld the fifth Irish trainer to enjoy victory at the Breeders' Cup.

One-two-three for AOB

Aidan O'Brien was looking for his first Breeders' Cup Mile triumph ahead of the 2020 race - and achieved it in some style.

Order of Australia, a 73-1 shot, held off the challenge of stablemates Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez to win by a neck in a clean sweep for the Master of Ballydoyle in Del Mar.

It was a 13th Breeders' Cup success in all for O'Brien and marked a remarkable change in fortunes for Order of Australia, who had finished last of nine at the Curragh less than a month previously.

O'Brien loves making history

Joseph O’Brien became the youngest trainer to saddle a Breeders’ Cup winner when Iridessa stormed home in the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

The then 26-year-old is also only the second trainer to have tasted Breeders’ Cup glory as a jockey, after Freddy Head, following his Turf triumph aboard St Nicholas Abbey in 2011 — when he was also the youngest rider to triumph.

High Chaparral at the double with dramatic dead heat

Not many horses have won two Breeders' Cup races but High Chaparral wasn't just any horse

In 2002 Aidan O'Brien's dark-coated bay won the Derby at Epsom and then ended his three-year old season with a stunning victory at Arlington Park in the Breeders' Cup Turf

Patiently held by jockey Mick Kinane, he surged through the field in the closing stages to claim a confident victory.

Twelve months later he won again - in the most dramatic way possible. He appeared to have narrowly got the better of a sustained battle with Falbrav, but was then caught in the last stride by Johar.

However, the result of the three-way photo-finish was a dead heat for first place.

Suits you sire

Galileo ran eight times and won six races - including doing the Derby double either side of the Irish Sea.

His worst performance was his final race, in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park. Racing on dirt for the first time, he finished a distant sixth, eight lengths behind the winner.

However, it's in his second career at stud that the colt has become truly unstoppable. His progeny have won six races and scored $16m in prize money at the event, $4.5 million more than his closest pursuer.

Winners include Red Rocks, Magician, Found, Highland Reel, Line of Duty and 2022’s Filly & Mare Turf winner Tuesday.

‘Big Race King’ leads the way in the saddle

Mick Kinane is the most successful Irish jockey in Breeders' Cup history with three wins - including two on High Chaparral - and seven places securing €4.4 million for connections.

Johnny Murtagh has also won three Breeders' Cup races, with 14 years separating his first win in 1994 and his last, Man of Iron's 2009 Marathon win at Santa Anita.

Aidan O'Brien on the @BreedersCup unknowns, weekend travel plans and being positive when everyone has an opinion on City of Troy's @DelMarRacing mission

Weekend long read 👇#GreenTeam

— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) October 25, 2024

Ballydoyle's raiding parties deliver year on year

Aidan O'Brien is the most successful international trainer in the history of the Breeders' Cup with 18 wins and counting - two behind the meeting's leading handler Darrell Wayne Lukas and now level with the silver-haired Bob Baffert.

His first win came with Johannesburg in the Juvenile race while he's won the, Breeders’ Cup Turf on six occasions, Juvenile Turf five times, with a single win in the Juvenile, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Filly & Mare Turf, Mile and Marathon.

And there’s a special mention to St Nicholas Abbey, who won in 2011 with son Joseph as jockey, a true family affair at Churchill Downs.

Pat's Pebbles and her love of the black stuff

Pat Eddery's storied career is the stuff of legend and he was the first Irish jockey to taste success at the Breeders' Cup - piloting Pebbles to victory in the Turf in 1985.

The horse was regarded as one of the greatest fillies of the modern era, with her owner paying €215,000 to supplement her for the race, a decision rewarded with a €1.7m winners' cheque.

Trainer Clive Brittain famously bribed one of the course staff to open a walkway, allowing her to join the other runners at the last moment. And Eddery produced a trademark brilliant patient ride, flashing across the line in a new course record.

Pebbles was known for drinking a pint of Guinness a day - now there's an idea.