Vintage Crop tucked into a carrot cake for this 26th birthday at the Irish National Stud on Friday.

The Dermot Weld trained trail-blazer was foaled on March 1, 1987.  He won the 1993 Melbourne Cup as well as two editions of the Irish St Leger.

Weld broke with tradition when Vintage Crop started first-up in the Melbourne Cup after a seven-week break.  The tough gelding blew away the theory that Cup candidates needed hard racing right up to the gruelling two-miler.  And Weld bewitched Australia’s media contingent when he recited “The Man from Snowy River” in the enclosure after his stayer’s three length victory under Michael Kinane.

Vintage Crop (Rousillon – Overplay by Bustino) signed off with a third behind Doriemus in the 1995 Melbourne Cup.  His overall record of 28 starts included 16 wins and 6 minors – he was also sixth home in the 1993 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Vintage Crop is revered as a living legend among the many mighty equine residents of the Irish National Stud.