Sky Bet Ebor preview: Joseph O'Brien on Dawn Rising and Nusret

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Wed August 16, 2023 · 2y ago

We catch up with trainer Joseph O'Brien who talks through the claims of his two possible runners in the 2023 Sky Bet Ebor.

Dawn Rising

"Things have been really good, we're very lucky. We have some really nice horses. But firstly, we have a great team of people, which is essential, but we have some very nice horses - two-year-olds and older horses and, hopefully we can finish off the season strong.

"We have a couple of potential runners for York and we're excited and looking forward to the Ebor Festival.

"Dawn Rising stays very well and he's a straightforward horse. He likes a bit of juice in the ground, but he's run on better ground as well. Obviously, the Ebor is a very strong race, but he is in good shape. He's prepared well and we're hoping to get some prize money.

"He should be fine at the trip, he's performed well at a mile and a half as well. So, yeah, we're not too worried about the trip.

"He's obviously graded winner over jumps and obviously a high-class horse on the Flat. So he's very versatile. He's been a great horse for us over the last two years and hopefully we're not finished just yet.

"Ascot was a huge day. It was great to have a winner in Royal Ascot for JP (McManus) and his family and JP was there and it was a wonderful ride from Ryan (Moore), it was a great end of the week.

"He can lead, he's led all the way in the past, he can sit in and so really it'll be down to whoever rides him and however it sets up and he'll be placed accordingly."

Nusret

"Nusret is a really progressive horse again. He's also a graded winner over jumps and multiple winner on the flat, a very solid horse.

"He won well in the Sky Bet Ebor Trial at the Curragh. He loves a big-field handicap, he's a strong traveller, a classy horse and there's a big race in him again and hopefully this might be the one for Jane (McGivern) who's just bought him. He went through the sale just the night before Ascot.

"He's the right type for the race and with the right set-up he'd have a live chance. Certainly the stronger they go, the better it will suit him. So hopefully they go fast.

"At the moment we're concentrating on trying to win another big race on the flat with him. He's obviously a son of Golden Horn, who's had a wonderful year with his stayers. We're hoping this guy can put it down for him in the autumn summer.

"It's a big ask to be carrying six or seven pounds extra but he's in really good nick so we'll see. Everything is possible."

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