No less than six of the 25 confirmed starters today for the inaugural running of the Irish Grand National under the Ladbrokes banner on Easter Monday are owned by Limerick's jumping supremo JP McManus with five of them figuring in the top eleven weight-wise.

"In the world of mules there are no rules "

Ogden Nash

The well known American poet may have been feeling particularly disaffected after another losing bet, but in the  modern racing world, there certainly are rules. The Turf Club is responsible for ensuring these rules are adhered to as the racing regulatory body, while Horse Racing Ireland is the national authority responsible for the overall administration, development and promotion of racing in Ireland today.

There have been so many instrumental figures in the development of Irish racing over the last two hundred years but it is primarily in the last fifty years that the industry has grown exponentially, in which time Ireland has gone from being a bit-player on the fringes of world racing to being a world leader. Many factors came together to make this happen, but the most important factor is the people.