Joseph O'Brien was the virtual guest with Ger Gilroy and Johnny Ward on Friday Night Racing on Off The Ball in association with Horse Racing Ireland.
O'Brien has had a stellar start to his training career following his short but incredible career in the saddle and will be joined in the training ranks by his younger brother Donnacha this season.
Joseph O'Brien won his first Classic, the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2011, aged just 17. He was joint-champion apprentice and twice champion jockey. Joseph enjoyed Derby successes in Ireland, England, and France and has already trained an Irish Derby winner in Latrobe, incidentally ridden by his brother Donnacha.
"We're really looking forward to getting back racing!"@JosephOBrien2 is on Friday Night Racing with @gergilroy & @Ui_Maine 🏇@HRIRacing #EveryRacingMomenthttps://t.co/tmNKJplhaV
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) June 5, 2020
While he followed up becoming the youngest ever jockey to ride a Breeders Cup winner with St Nicholas Abbey in 2011, with last November, becoming the youngest trainer of a Breeders Cup winner, when Iridessa took the Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
There have been top-level jumps successes too at Leopardstown and the Cheltenham Festival, as well as becoming the youngest trainer of the Melbourne Cup winner too. O'Brien only took out his licence to train in 2016.
The trainer admits his focus is being directed more towards the flat as his jumps string has shrunk in the last two seasons, in particular, he cites more lucrative opportunities globally for this gradual switch.
Sibling Rivalry
The two O'Brien brothers now going head to head in the training ranks has added a fascinating dimension to an already intriguing season.
"We're very lucky in that Donnacha has some nice horses and so do I," says Joseph, "really I'm delighted when he has a winner, as when I have a winner, and we do wish each other the best.
"We're very good competitors, in that, when we win, we say 'well done' and when we get beat, we know there will be another day.
"We wouldn't be going to kill each other or anything."
Although, Joseph revealed the pair save their competitive natures for other sporting pursuits.
"We get more competitive if we're playing soccer or playing golf or hurling or whatever sport we're playing we do get fairly competitive.
"In racing, we do our best and whatever happens on the course is out of our control."
