Joseph O’Brien joins world’s elite

It is hard to keep track of Joseph O’Brien at the moment. The 26-year-old trainer, who is based in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, has had a whirlwind week.

In the early hours of last Saturday, while most of us slept, O’Brien trained a winner in Australia. By winning the Lexus Stakes, Downdraft earned a place in the Melbourne Cup, one of four O’Brien horses to contest that big race.

But the trainer was not in Australia for that race. Nor was he in Down Royal where he also had a winner on Saturday. Instead, he was in Los Angeles where, later that same day, he was the only European trainer to saddle a winner at the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita.

American win

His filly Iridessa won the Filly & Mare Turf, making O’Brien the youngest trainer to win a race at the meeting.

In 2011 O’Brien became the youngest jockey ever to win a race at the Breeders’ Cup when he partnered St Nicholas Abbey to victory.

However, there was little time for celebrations in the US, as Joseph was off to Australia for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. This is a race he won as a trainer two years ago with Rekindling, and he almost did it again this week as Master Of Reality lost out by just a nose to local hope Vow And Declare.

The fact that the stewards later demoted Master Of Reality to fourth for causing interference took little away from the achievement, and it is undeniable now that Joseph O’Brien is one of the world’s elite trainers.

At the top of that tree remains Joseph’s father, Aidan, who turned 50 recently. The O’Briens look set to dominate Irish and international racing for decades to comes.

And watch out for Joseph’s younger brother, Donnacha too. Crowned Irish champion flat jockey for the second time last Sunday, Donnacha (21) is unofficially training horses in Longfield Stud near Cashel. It is only a matter of time before he takes out his licence and he has certainly learned from the best.