DONNACHA O’BRIEN IS planning for life out of the saddle by enrolling on a trainers’ course, although Ireland’s champion jockey gave no indication about when he plans to stop riding.
O’Brien, who is in the process of completing the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s Pre-Racehorse Trainers Development Course, has already emulated his older brother Joseph by winning the Irish jockeys’ title and riding Classic winners.
“I decided to do the trainers’ course with the future in mind,” said O’Brien. “I’ll complete the course, which began on 15 May, and when I’ve done it I’ll think about things, but the plan for now is to continue riding.”
O’Brien took the Irish title last year with 111 winners and lies second in the table with 21 winners behind the 2017 champion Colin Keane.
He rode three Classic winners in 2018, landing the 2,000 Guineas on Saxon Warrior and the Oaks on Forever Together, both trained by his father Aidan, and the Irish Derby on Latrobe trained by Joseph.
This season he has won the 2,000 Guineas on Magna Grecia and partnered Investec Derby favourite Sir Dragonet to an impressive victory in the Chester Vase. Like his brother Joseph before him, the 20-year-old’s height and weight mean he has to deal with a constant battle and in the past year 8st 11lb is the lightest weight he has ridden at.
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