INCREDIBLE! REKINDLING has WON the 2017 #MelbourneCup. pic.twitter.com/94LyrWP7bv

— Racing.com (@Racing) November 7, 2017

The 24-year-old O'Brien becomes the youngest winning trainer of the world's richest two-mile handicap, which remains one of the few prizes to evade his world-record breaking, Group 1-winning father Aidan, who is on holiday in Barbados.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet." @JosephOBrien2 becomes a #MelbourneCup winner at the age of 24. pic.twitter.com/aKzvCgNfCZ

— Racing.com (@Racing) November 7, 2017

However, after a post-race phone call, Joseph said his father was "delighted" for him.

Ridden 30 Group 1 winners.
Won 10 Classics as a jockey.
Melbourne Cup winning trainer.
He’s 24 years old... pic.twitter.com/t960JEXu3l

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 7, 2017

Irish jockeys, trainers and fans were quick to offer their congratulations too - once they'd woken up!

Massive congrats to @JosephOBrien2 on winning the #MelbourneCup. A great achievement for him and for Irish racing! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/4lzoO42brb

— Robbie "Puppy" Power (@Robbie_Power_) November 7, 2017

Joseph O’Brien wins a Derby on Australia and now he conquers Australia 🍾

— Tony Mullins (@tonymullins84) November 7, 2017

What a remarkable achievement by @JosephOBrien2 and all his team on the hill! #melbournecup

— Airnifi (@airnifi) November 7, 2017

Tremendous news from Australia overnight. Irish Racing leading the way on the other side of the planet! https://t.co/GyApHzkmmx

— Michael Creed TD (@creedcnw) November 7, 2017

Amazing achievement 1 2 3 for 🇨🇮 in the race that stops the nation well done to @JosephOBrien2 #MelbouneCup #rekindling https://t.co/h1innOxEGf

— Kate Harrington (@kateharro1989) November 7, 2017

Irish 1-2-3 unreal . Back to sleep 😴🤠

— Anthony Daly (@DaloAnto) November 7, 2017

Well done Joseph o’Brien what an achievement, to win a Melbourne cup with Rekindling

— mick fitzgerald (@mickfitzg) November 7, 2017

Well done @JosephOBrien2, @Coreyjockey and the Lloyd Williams team @NCW717 #Rekindling 2017 Melbourne Cup 👍🏽🥂🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

— Kerrin McEvoy (@KPMcEvoy) November 7, 2017

Joseph O'Brien - youngest winning trainer in Melbourne Cup history @FlemingtonVRC @springvarnival pic.twitter.com/cp7MGYS3RR

— Greg Carpenter (@RVCarps) November 7, 2017

Thank you & well done @JosephOBrien2 you’re as brilliant a trainer as you were a jockey & you were superb at that too! #longmayhetrain 🐎 https://t.co/4GDJqHMrdk

— HAYLEY MOORE (@hayleyjanemoore) November 7, 2017

Unbelievable result in the Melbourne Cup @josephfansite23 beating his dad @aobrienfansite 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽☝🏽🏇🏆🍀🇮🇪

— Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) November 7, 2017

Unbelievable result for the @JosephOBrien2 stable in Melbourne. Amazing what he's achieved at 24. Sheer dedication from such a young man.

— Brendan Powell (@bpowell13) November 7, 2017

Rekindling (High Chaparral) defeats Johannes Vermeer (Galileo) to win the #MelbourneCup2017 @FlemingtonVRC #CoolmoreSires pic.twitter.com/K8b6dqPsuH

— Coolmore (@coolmorestud) November 7, 2017

The achievements of Irish racing in the Melbourne Cup are stupendous. Hats off to Joseph O’Brien, Aidan O’Brien and Willie Mullins. #GLOBAL

— John Duggan (@JohnDugganSport) November 7, 2017

Melbourne Cup win of Joseph O'Brien and placings of Aidan O'Brien&Willie Mullins phenomenal achievement - Irish Trainers are world leaders

— Denis Coakley (@deniscoakley11) November 7, 2017

It's another chapter to the history of Irish success down under, following on from Weld and the 2012 race, which saw the first seven horses home all bred in Ireland.

Joseph O'Brien was born the same year Vintage Crop won #MelbourneCup 1993 https://t.co/Mb247YRtdy pic.twitter.com/qSq0vs6yVd

— irishracing.com (@irishracing) November 7, 2017

And it opens the next generation of O'Brien success too.