JOSEPH O’BRIEN Jumps Stable Tours 2021-2022
Quality over quantity is the overarching theme when it comes to Joseph O’Brien’s jumps artillery at the moment.
A first triple-digit tally on the Flat in Ireland this season provided further evidence of the operation’s continued emphasis on the summer game, but there are many dangerous jumps bullets to be fired from the Owning Hill base over the coming months.
Well supported by JP McManus and Gigginstown House Stud among others, O’Brien appears to have a decent blend of experienced stalwarts, like Fakir D’Oudairies and Darasso, combined with unexposed types such as Eric Bloodaxe and Uhtred.
It’s already been a terrific start to the campaign for the 28-year-old. Having registered 40 domestic winners in 2020-21, he’s already up to 34 this time around and we’re only just past the halfway point of October.
O’Brien’s ability to eke out gradual improvement from his runners was advertised again through his biggest winner of the season when Assemble posted a career-best performance on his first try at 3m in the Kerry National.
The jumps scene in Ireland has rarely been as challenging and competitive as it is right now, but O’Brien looks to have the right firepower to make 2021-22 another fruitful campaign.
Assemble
Seven-year-old gelding
Getaway (sire) – Annaghbrack (dam)
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Form figures: FF5-F71
Racing Post Rating: 157 (chase); Official rating: 155 (chase)
It was a very good performance from him to win the Kerry National last time and I’d imagine he’ll probably run once more before having a winter break. He probably doesn’t want the ground too heavy and we’ll look to aim him at good handicaps in the spring. Eventually he could potentially end up being an Aintree horse.
A Wave Of The Sea
5g Born To Sea – Je T’Adore
John P McManus
0-P5062
RPR 147c OR 143c
He just seemed to bump into one [Ontheropes] when a good second in the Munster National and we’ve been very happy with him. We were always pretty hopeful that he had the size and scope to be a chaser. Plenty of nice handicaps will be open to him.
Banbridge
5g Doyen – Old Carton Lass
R A Bartlett
28-1114
RPR 136h OR –
He’s had a little break and is just back in work. We think he’s a nice horse for the future and we’re looking forward to him going chasing. We have to decide but he’ll probably be heading over fences sooner rather than later.
Band Of Outlaws
6g Fast Company – Band Of Colour
John P McManus
115/23/6
RPR 147h OR 144h
He might have a run in a Flat handicap first but then he could go back hurdling. We were very happy with his run on the Flat at Naas earlier this year after some time off.
Busselton
4g Mastercraftsman – Blessed Luck
Chanelle Phar Ltd
4-22131
RPR 132c 132h OR 130c 132h
He won nicely at Listowel before possibly finding the track a bit sharp for him when third at Tipperary. It was good to see him win well at Cork on Sunday. He should stay well and is a good, solid horse. We’ll probably head back to Cork for his next run [on October 31] for a Grade 3 novice chase over 2m4f.
Champion Green
3g The Gurkha – Back On Top
John P McManus
35-31 (Flat)
RPR 97f OR 90f
We haven’t got any three-year-old hurdlers from Ballydoyle but this horse won a 1m1f maiden for us at Punchestown last month and probably will go over hurdles. He’s a little bit away from running but has schooled well so far.
Darasso
8g Konig Turf – Nassora
John P McManus
112582
RPR 161c 158h OR 150c 148h
He’s very versatile, tough and consistent. We’re very happy with his season so far and we think he’s probably slightly better in smaller fields. With that in mind, we’ll probably look at conditions races for him. He can continue to mix it between hurdles and fences.
Desir Du Large
8g Zambezi Sun – Rapsodie Sea
Gigginstown House Stud
1/34-21F
RPR 134h OR –
He had a hold-up but is back in work now and we’ll look towards another novice hurdle for him next. I think that two and a half miles and upwards is his best type of trip, somewhere in that region. He was a bit wayward at Galway but we’re quite pleased with his work at home.
Embittered
7g Fame And Glory – Kilbarry Classic
Gigginstown House Stud
020121
RPR 148c OR 142c
He’s going the right way and won nicely at Punchestown in a Grade 3 last week so I’d imagine he’ll head for another Graded novice chase next month. I don’t think he’s a million miles away from looking at something like the Drinmore – you’d like to think he’d have a chance of being placed in something like that. I think he’s one of our nicer novice chasers this season.
Eric Bloodaxe
6g Saint Des Saints – Diorissima
Gigginstown House Stud
117/4
RPR 131b
We declared him to make his first start over hurdles at Punchestown last week but took him out after feeling the ground was just a little bit lively for him. He’s a very exciting horse and we’re looking forward to the future with him. Hopefully he’ll run in a maiden hurdle over the next few weeks and we’ll take it step by step from there. I was very pleased with his first run after some time off in the Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown festival.
Star quality
Fakir D’Oudairies
6g Kapgarde – Niagaria Du Bois
John P McManus
2P221-3
RPR 167c OR 165c
He seems to have summered well and we’re excited about him this year – he’s still a young horse even though it feels like he’s been around for a while. Hopefully he still might be progressing as a six-year-old. We’re probably looking at starting him off in something like the Clonmel Oil Chase [on November 11]. He’s getting a bit older and I wouldn’t be against trying three miles again this year. We’re very pleased with him.
Dark horse
Fire Attack
6g Westerner – Seesea
Gigginstown House Stud
26F2P-5
RPR 140h OR 132h
He’s not the simplest ride in the world but he’s a talented horse. We’re happy with him and he’s schooled well over fences so the plan is to go chasing. He may run in a maiden hurdle first but I’d imagine at the moment he’ll go straight over fences.
Fun Light
6g Saddler Maker – Or Light
Rectory Road Holdings Limited
72/2168-
RPR 128h OR 129h
He’s ready to run and will go chasing. Hopefully he’ll turn up in a beginners’ chase over the next few weeks. We think and hope that he can progress over fences this season. We always thought he was a chasing type – he’s a big horse.
Global Equity
6m Shirocco – Geek Chic
Annus Mirabilis Syndicate
2651-26
RPR 135h OR 125h
She’s already had a run in a beginners’ chase this summer and will continue over fences, although we’ll look to mix and match with hurdles in black-type races. She’s a talented filly when things fall her way. Her second at the Dublin Racing Festival in particular was a very good run last season.
Gracchus De Balme
5g Manbolix – Olympe De Coudray
Chanelle Phar Ltd
4-
RPR 101b
He had a lovely run in a bumper at Fairyhouse last February and the plan is to go hurdling this season. We think he’ll make into a nice staying type of horse who can handle a bit of juice in the ground.
Midnight Run
7g Well Chosen – Knockamullen Girl
Gigginstown House Stud
196/62-9
RPR 148c 146h OR 140h
He hasn’t won a chase yet so will be a second-season novice this time around. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do this season. He’s a talented horse on his day and always has been. I think he’s probably able to step up to two and a half miles.
Mighty Blue
5m Authorized – Millionaia
Capel Street Syndicate
4243-
RPR 135h OR 132h
I’d imagine she’ll come back hurdling after running on the Flat over the summer. She’s still a maiden over hurdles so can run in novice company this season too. It’s a long way away but you’d obviously dream of getting back to Cheltenham in the spring with her after her third in the mares’ novice hurdle last season. She has some very good form and hopefully if she got back there in good shape next spring you’d like to think she’d have a good each-way chance.
San Salvador
5g El Salvador – Angel Chorus
Miss Sarah O’Brien
47-311F
RPR 131h OR –
He’s improving nicely. I’m not sure if he’d have won last time at Tipperary when coming down at the last in a Grade 3 novice hurdle but he’d have been fighting out the finish anyway. Thankfully he seems fine after that. He actually jumped very well on the day bar getting the last wrong. He’ll go for another Graded race over the next few weeks.
Scarlet And Dove
7f Jeremy – Dark Mimosa
Gigginstown House Stud
1F115-2
RPR 147c OR 144c
She’s a good, hardy mare who had a great last season for us. She takes a bit of getting fit so you won’t see her for a little while yet but we’re very pleased with her. I think we have to be looking at Graded races with her this season.
Sempo
7g Oscar – Miss Cozzene
Martin O’Sullivan
3U325-5
RPR 141c OR 138c
He came back from his last run at Killarney and had a bit of a setback so he probably won’t be running until the spring, I’d imagine. I thought he ran really well when fifth in the Irish Grand National and he’s still a maiden over fences so I think there are some good days ahead of him hopefully.
Slige Dala
6g Sholokhov – Lady’s Gesture
Rectory Road Holdings Limited
4265-43
RPR 131h OR 126h
He hasn’t quite clicked yet over fences but I thought he ran well in a couple of beginners’ chases. We think he’s going to be a nice staying chaser this season.
Top Moon
6g Spanish Moon – Courtaline
John P McManus
P-710F3
RPR 147c OR 144c
He was running a great race in the Kerry National when coming down at the second-last and followed that up with another good run to be third in the Munster National. There’ll be a nice pot in him when things fall right.
Uhtred
6g Fame And Glory – Ingred Hans
Gigginstown House Stud
1/21/3-4
RPR 141h OR –
I think he’ll stick to hurdling given he hasn’t won a race over hurdles yet but we’ll cross those bridges as we go along. He’s fairly versatile when it comes to ground and hopefully he should stay well too.
Vultan
4g Fastnet Rock – Beneloge
Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd
21
RPR 120h OR –
He showed promise on the Flat but had a bit of an issue with the stalls. He’s since run in two hurdles, winning by ten lengths at Gowran last time, when it was good to see him take to jumping so well – he’s a talented horse. He’s in the sales but we might hang on to him and go to the Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas [on November 6] as I hope he can have a good season.
Two for the tracker
Vultan won nicely on his second start over hurdles at Gowran and hopefully can have a good season. I’m looking forward to seeing how Busselton progresses over fences.
Expert view
If we have learnt anything about Joseph O’Brien since he switched careers in 2016, it is that he is a terrific target trainer. That point was emphasised further last month when Assemble won the Kerry National.
When Early Doors won the Galway Plate in 2020, you got the impression it was at least a year in the planning and he goes into the current campaign with some fascinating handicappers who look like they might be better than their marks. There is no better man to exploit such a scenario.
Fire Attack is surely more talented than a 132-rated hurdler. He was supported all the way into 8-1 for Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March, but was up to his old tricks and pulled Oakley Brown’s arms out. If he ever consents to settle, he has a big handicap hurdle in him.
The plan might be to go chasing, and he has the size and scope to make a real name for himself at that game, but expect O’Brien to have that mark of 132 over hurdles in the back of his mind all season.
Mighty Blue has an identical mark (132) to Fire Attack and she’s another who could plunder a big handicap hurdle given she has a Flat mark of 106.
Desir Du Large is not straightforward, but would have won at Killarney and could win a nice staying novice hurdle, while Eric Bloodaxe is perhaps the most exciting young prospect in the yard and could end up in Grade 1 novice events.
The star of the show, of course, is Fakir D’Oudairies. His Marsh Chase win at Aintree, by 11 lengths, was very easy on the eye and the John Durkan at Punchestown would appear an attractive early-season aim.
Analysis by David Jennings
