Joseph O'Brien ready to train

[bennythedip2]

O'Brien calls time on riding career (March 7th 2016)

Dual Irish champion Flat jockey Joseph O'Brien is reported to have decided not to ride at all this year and to concentrate on his new role as a trainer.

The move had been widely expected as the record-breaking jockey had been turning his attentions more to the training side and is in the process of taking out a full licence.

O'Brien, 22, has been playing a key role in helping his father, trainer Aidan O'Brien, with a large string of horses recently, including JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Ivanovich Gorbatov, from a base at Piltown, County Kilkenny, where the great Istabraq's triumphs were originally masterminded.

Tall for a Flat jockey, O'Brien was always likely to find his battle with the scales proving too much over a period of time, but is looking to gain his training licence shortly to have runners under Rules and saddled his first point-to-point winner at the beginning of November.

"It's hard enough to make a decent job of one thing never mind trying to juggle two things so I'll be concentrating on training and won't be riding any more," O'Brien told the Racing Post.

O'Brien can number an array of top Flat horses such as Camelot, St Nicholas Abbey, Australia and many others on his riding CV, twice winning the Derby at Epsom.

His first Classic success came on Roderic O'Connor in the 2011 running of the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, and he is hopeful of further big-race glory when he oversees Ivanovich Gorbatov in the Istabraq colours of JP McManus at Cheltenham next week.

The son of Montjeu needs to bounce back from an odds-on reverse at Leopardstown last month, but O'Brien feels there is improvement in him.

Speaking at a preview night last week, O'Brien said: "He worked at Leopardstown last weekend and Barry (Geraghty) was very happy with him.

"Nothing came to light after his last run in the Grade One, other than he didn't like the ground. He got away with it first time over hurdles and maybe we got a bit of a false sense of security from that.

"We do think he's a good horse and hopefully on the better ground at Cheltenham he'll show an improved performance.

"The mistake he made in the back straight last time wouldn't have helped him, but we think the biggest problem was the ground."
Joseph O'Brien profile

Joseph O'Brien can be proud of an outstanding riding career as he prepares to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his parents as a trainer.

Having ridden his first winner for his father, Aidan, at the age of just 16, O'Brien went on to share the Irish champion apprentice title and twice be crowned champion Irish Flat jockey.

In taking his second senior championship in 2013, he broke Mick Kinane's long-standing record for the number of winners ridden in an Irish season, ending on a new record total of 126 wins.

No other jockey has ever achieved so much by the age of just 22, but constant battles with the scales meant that his career as a Flat jockey was never going to last as long as he may have wished and so a career as a full-time trainer beckons.

O'Brien's Group One wins spanned six countries and included the Derby, St Leger, 2000 Guineas, Irish Derby, three consecutive Irish 2,000 Guineas, a Breeders' Cup Turf, a Grand Prix de Paris and a Dubai Sheema Classic.

His came agonisingly close to winning the $5million Breeders' Cup Classic on Declaration of War at Santa Anita in November 2013, finishing third, beaten a nose and a head.

O'Brien has applied for his licence with the Irish Turf Club, thereby taking the first steps towards a new career as a trainer at Carriganog, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny.

O'Brien senior credited Joseph on a number of occasions as having had a significant input into the training regime and consequent success achieved by horses of the calibre of So You Think, winner of five Group One races in O'Brien's care, and six-time Group One winner St Nicholas Abbey.

It was from Carriganog in Piltown that Joseph's maternal grandfather Joe Crowley trained. His mother, Anne-Marie, went on to become champion Irish National Hunt trainer from the same yard, as did Aidan, prior to their move to Ballydoyle.

O'Brien's aunt Frances (Smullen, nee Crowley), took over the licence and proceeded to train 42 winners from Carriganog in her very first season.

O'Brien has already been in the headlines in looking after his father's jumps string, and has JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Ivanovich Gorbatov to look forward to at Cheltenham next week.

It will be a surprise if he is anything other than a resounding success in his new career path - one that could eventually see him taking over from his record-breaking father at Ballydoyle.
Joseph O'Brien: Five of the best

CAMELOT

Looked a star in the making when cruising through the field in the 2011 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and went on to be just that the following year. Wins in the 2000 Guineas and Derby sparked genuine dreams of the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinksky in 1970, but he fell just short in the St Leger back at Doncaster.

ST NICHOLAS ABBEY

The horse that commanded a special place in the heart of his rider, three times winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom, twice for O'Brien and once for Ryan Moore, landing the Breeders' Cup Turf in America and the Sheema Classic in Dubai. Had a brilliant turn of foot at his best.

AUSTRALIA

Yet another Classic hero for O'Brien, winning the 2000 Guineas and Derby, as well as the Irish Derby. Faultless in the Juddmonte International York, but did not race again after The Grey Gatsby gained revenge in a shock outcome to the Irish Champion Stakes.

AIR FORCE BLUE

The best might be to come from this War Front colt this year, but O'Brien twice savoured Group One success on him, in the Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes at the Curragh.

SO YOU THINK

A superstar in his native Australia, So You Think perhaps never hit quite the same heights in Europe but was still a high-class performer, winning five Group Ones, with O'Brien doing the steering in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Prince of Wales's Stakes

[tiredeyes]

I never rated him, distinctly average imo.