JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE

(GRADE 1)

SOME 20 years after he first struck gold at Cheltenham, Aidan O’Brien once again made his long reach felt on jump racing’s greatest stage as Ivanovich Gorbatov justified a welter of support in style in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

This victory will go down in the record books as a sixth winner at the meeting for O’Brien but absolutely central to this success was his son, Joseph. Recently retired from riding and set to strike out on his own this summer, the younger O’Brien oversees the preparations of his father’s jumpers from their Piltown base.

Indeed the trainer, jockey Barry Geraghty and owner J.P. McManus were all quick to pay tribute to Joseph O’Brien’s essential and pivotal role in this famous success.

A striking first time out winner over Christmas, Ivanovich Gorbatov came here on something of a retrieval mission after struggling in a Leopardstown Grade 1 last month. A deluge of money, which saw him returned the 9/2 favourite, was a portent of things to come though and the switch to better ground enabled Ivanovich Gorbatov to showcase the fullest extent of his abilities.

As ever the Triumph brought together the very best juveniles from both sides of the Irish Sea and this was one of those occasions where the raiders were just different class to their English counterparts.

On her first outing since winning a Grade 2 at Christmas, the Willie Mullins-trained Apple’s Jade finished a superb second and she was followed home by stablemates Footpad and Let’s Dance.

In the race itself, Apple’s Jade looked to stretch her rivals and draw the sting out of Ivanovich Gorbatov on the long run to the last. Hard as she tried though the filly could never quite shake off the favourite and she eventually succumbed to his effort on the run in to go down by a length and a half. There was a further six lengths back to Footpad.

“It’s unbelievable, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s very hard to put into words what this means,” said Joseph O’Brien. “I was hopeful but Barry was more confident than anyone and he felt it was the ground the last day and he was right.”

A very proud Aidan O’Brien then added: “It’s a privilege to be here. No jump racing anywhere compares to this and this is something that you could never think or dream about.

“Joseph rides out for us in Ballydoyle first lot and then he goes over to Piltown where he has his own team. Joseph rode this horse on the flat and he thought he’d make a lovely jumper and thankfully J.P. left him with us.”

This victory was a first of the week for Barry Geraghty who revealed afterwards that he had a considerable degree of confidence in his mount.

“I was banking on this fella. My Tent Or Yours ran well, Yanworth ran a good race too but it’s just great to get off the mark. The first day this horse ran, Joseph told me exactly what he was and I’d say he has many great days ahead of him,” stated Geraghty.