The sounds of pounding hooves are almost audible in this colored print celebrating the 1872 Conyngham Cup. Steeplechase racing, a challenging cross-country sport, was an international passion at the time, as indicated by the American and Continental flags flying at this racecourse west of Dublin. Early Irish arrivals to America also included the Thoroughbred horses who traveled with their breeders and trainers to support avid racing interests. Today their bloodlines still flow through competitors at the Punchestown Festival races, the heart of Irish racing history.