Young O’Brien continues his meteoric start at Dundalk
JOSEPH O’Brien has only held a trainer’s licence since June 3rd, 2016, but, in Ireland he has already sent out 100 National Hunt and 80 flat winners. It’s a meteoric start to a career that has also secured four flat winners in England and last year’s Melbourne Cup in Australia with Rekindling.
A Dundalk double on Friday night means that he’s had at least one winner at each of the three meetings to have taken place at the track in 2018.
Friday’s double came via impressive Dundalk Business Club 2018 Maiden-winner, Uncle Henry (9/4fav), who was ridden by Joseph’s brother, Donnacha, and Boragh Steps (7/4), who appreciated the step up to six furlongs in edging out 6/4 favourite Canford Art – a good winner on his racecourse debut at Dundalk on December 22nd.
Another trainer to have started the year well is Pat Martin, who took his 2018 tally of Dundalk winners to four (he, too, has had at least one winner at every Dundalk meeting so far this year) via the successes of Adieux (8/1) in the Race Displays Handicap and Ishebayorgrey (7/1), who was gaining a sixth win at Dundalk when landing the Kennedy’s Bar & Restaurant, Dundalk, Handicap in the hands of Killian Leonard.
Adieux, who has won three times from six runs at Dundalk and is owned and was bred by Seamus Foran, was ridden by Wayne Lordan, who completed a double on the card via the win of Boragh Steps.
Uncle Henry was the only outright-favourite to win on the night although Liam Cusack’s 7/2 joint-favourite Bog War, a winner at the 2015 Galway and Punchestown Festivals, landed the first division of the Matthews. ie Trip To Cheltenham 2018 Handicap in the hands of Sean Corby.
The second division went to a trainer and jockey who are on-course to have good years.
Ben Coen only rode his first winner in November but took his career tally to six with the win of Carvelas (5/1).
Until recently, winning trainer Pat Murphy held a restricted licence, but a good end to 2017, most notably through such horses as Koybig, who won three times at Dundalk between November 8th and December 6th, has seen things move up a gear.
The biggest-priced winner of the night was Mick Mulvany’s Prove The Point (20/1, Gary Carroll) in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay 2018 Handicap, while, judged on his comfortable win in the Fast Shipping Limited Handicap, Master Speaker (7/1, Robbie Downey) has been rejuvenated by his switch to Ado McGuinness.
Master Speaker is owned by Shamrock Thoroughbreds, a syndicate set up by Ado’s assistant, Stephen Thorne. They also own recent Dundalk winner Rosenborg Rider so things have got off to a very good start. Long may continue.
The action continues on Friday when the card will contain two €25,000 races, the Phone Alarms Handicap and the D Hotel, Drogheda, Handicap. The first race is due off at 5.30pm, although it will be 5pm if a race divides, which, based on recent weeks, is likely.