Leading dual-purpose trainer and Betfair ambassador Joseph O'Brien looks ahead to unleashing some of his star jumpers this winter.
Speaking to Gary O’Brien and Kevin Blake on Betfair’s Racing Only Bettor Podcast, the young trainer highlighted some of his most exciting prospects and also nominated a dark horse to keep an eye out for in the winter months.
Embittered
He was a good bumper horse, highly rated novice hurdle that was a great run at Cheltenham. Big powerful horse, likely to go novice chasing and he's one we're excited about this year, hopefully he'll be able to be competitive. He’s a little bit off, just getting started, a big powerful horse. Just as we wait for a little bit of juice in the ground or a little bit more juice in the ground and the bigger tracks but he's a horse that I think is worth keeping on the right side of.
Entoucas
He's a fine big powerful horse that, to be quite honest, probably didn't deliver as much as we kind of had hoped for last season. He's a lovely horse and has the option of whether he goes having another season on the nice handicap hurdles or whether he goes chasing. Probably a final decision hasn't been made yet, but a nice horse and one again that we think will be able to equip himself well this season.
Eric Bloodaxe
I guess we'll be starting a maiden somewhere, probably early next month. I haven't just locked in a target for him yet but yes, we'll started off in a maiden somewhere early next month I'd say. he was lame after the race in Leopardstown with pulled muscles, obviously it was a very disappointing effort, but he had a good break, huge, big horse. Always showed loads, didn't disappoint us on the track until that day and he had a legitimate excuse
Fakir D'oudairies
He's an exciting horse for this year, he's a good jumper. I felt he probably could have got, things could have just fell slightly better for him last year, but we've still done very well and it's great to win a Grade 1 with him and he's a horse that we hope his best days are ahead of him. I'm not sure about the ‘Clonmel Oil’ race but the ‘John Durkan’ is definitely an option for him. I think I'd like to start him off with a little bit of juice in the ground somewhere and a nice flat track and go from there.
Forged in Fire
The horse has a fantastic attitude, and is a lovely big good-moving, presenting horse. Stays well, jumps well and you'll be excited about him going novice hurdling this year, he could make into a lovely middle distance to staying type novice.
Dark Horse: I suppose one that I'd like to mention is a horse called Fire Attack, he's a good bumper form, a westerner, loves a bit of soft ground. Again, he'll be going novice hurdling and he's another horse I'd suggest people just stay on the right side of.
For more columns from Joseph O'Brien, visit betting.betfair.com/horse-racing.
