Double joy for Joseph O'Brien at Killarney

Irish Examiner

17-07-2025

The O'Brien family enjoyed a tremendously successful time during the three Flat days of the Killarney festival and Joseph ensured that continued into the National Hunt section as, from five runners on Thursday's card, he sent out two winners, two runners-up and one fourth-placed finisher.
With himself, his father, Aidan, and his brother, Donnacha, on the mark earlier in the week as trainers, and his sister, Ana, having joined the group as a winning owner here on Wednesday, it was turn of Sarah to continue the O'Brien dominance of the week when Nitty Gritty took the opener, the Laurels Pub Maiden Hurdle.
To get Joseph's day off to the perfect start, he had to respond to all of JJ Slevin's calls to collar long-time leader Cocovic in the shadow of the post.
'Seán (Flanagan, aboard Cocovic) and I ended up fighting it out, and we sat first and second most of the way, so it was nice to win it,' said Slevin. 'Seán was about a length in front of me jumping the last and I definitely thought I was coming out on the wrong side of it, but my lad stuck out his head and fought all the way to the line.'
Even though Galileo Sand, in the Kerry Drains Bumper, was the shortest priced of O'Brien's runners, he required plenty of assistance from the saddle to get his nose in front in a competitive race. Fortunately, he had John Gleeson on his back and the young rider was at his most persuasive as he got his mount back up to deny Tandy's Bridge and longtime leader Ripsnorter.
Asked about the winning trainer, stable representative Michael Halford was full of praise for O'Brien, who turn out the winners at all levels and under both codes.
'He's a remarkable man,' said Halford. 'His enthusiasm and energy for it is unmatched. Every bit as much effort and thought goes into these horses as any of them. He leaves no stone unturned, and it's great to even be a small part of it. To see it in operation is something else. He's so good at it, it just comes so naturally to him to train horses.'
Of the bumper winner, he said: 'He showed a great attitude. He's tough as nails. Typical of Joseph's horses, they're fit and hard and keep grinding it out. They don't need for anything, and John gave him a very good ride.'
The Gordon Elliott-trained Emily Love is a mare in great form and she made it four in a row for the summer by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares' Hurdle. The sequence began in Limerick, continued in Perth and then Kilbeggan, and with the aid of Josh Williamson's 7lb claim, it followed on here.
Swelltime won for the sixth time in his career when taking the Adara Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle under a front-running ride by Jake Coen. Trained in Limerick by William O'Doherty, the now nine-year-old was a winner of a similar race at the August meeting here in 2024 and, 2lbs lower this time, he was able to dictate despite taking a wide part throughout, and ultimately he won with a nice bit in hand.
The KPH Construction 110 Series Final Handicap Hurdle was the feature on yesterday evening's National Hunt card in Killarney and county Waterford trainer John Flavin landed the spoils with Duty Bound, thanks to a strong ride by Donagh Meyler.
It was as competitive as one would expect for a race of this nature and when the 18-1 chance got the better of a protracted duel with the strong-travelling Boston Rajj, he had to fend off the flying finish of Duke Silver, which he did by half a length.
'I was a long way from home when he came off the bridle but as soon as I gave him a squeeze, he jumped back on it,' said Meyler. 'He's a bit like his trainer: he likes a bit of hardship. He had plenty to aim at in the straight and it suited him down to the ground. One thing he does is stay. He wouldn't do much in a hurry but, to be fair to him, he stuck his head out and battled to the line.'
Seven-pound claimer Calum Hogan, who rode a winner for Philip Rothwell on Monday at Downpatrick, was on the board for his boss, Eric McNamara, by taking the Dr Ivo O'Sullivan Memorial Handicap Hurdle aboard Say It So. Initially patient, he made a move down the back to race prominently on the outside, and sent his mount to the front shortly after straightening up. Thereafter it was a case of coaxing his mount home, and he did so at the expense of the game Shaboozee.
Seven-pound claimer Anna McGuinness continues to impress at this early stage of her career, and she kept things simple aboard the Seán Aherne-trained and Ray O'Driscoll-owned Palpatate in the Kate Kearney's Cottage Bumper.
'She had been running well and deserved that,' said Aherne. 'I was a little nervous about the ground because she likes good ground, but she got away with it. She's fit and well, and we might go hurdling now as she has a bit of schooling done.'