Joseph O'Brien

M

Melendez

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
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Dublin
I think he's improved a lot in the last year or so. This time last year I'd have regarded him as a decent judge of pace but not very neat and fell into the barely adequate category. I think in some thread I can no longer find, I likened him to a decent national hunt jockey riding in a charity flat race.

I think he is much, much neater in a finish now. A lot more savvy getting himself out of trouble, finds the right place to be far more often and still has that excellent judge of pace. I think his ability actually makes him deserving of the rides he now is getting, or close enough anyhow.

I got a text bemoaning the fact that he got the ride on Await The Dawn, which led me to consider the situation, and gave me the insight that I actually now see it as a positive when his name is beside the horse. I was a little surprised with myself.
 
There is no way is he a positive in Group races. Richard Hills looks good at times riding as well because he rides so many good horses too.
 
Joseph O'Brien is a proper horseman, and will doubtless be seen over obstacles in due course, as he is a big lad.

I think he has been involved in many branches of equine competition at quite a high level, and probably doesn't get the credit he deserves because of his father.
 
i dont have a problem with him. Not sure how much longer he can go on doing those weights though given his frame.
 
This weekend saw Joseph O'Brien ride a winner at the Breeders Cup and also land the Irish apprentice championship with 57 winners, which is a record. He finished third in the jockeys' championship behind Johnny Murtagh and Pat Smullen.

I think these are fine achievements.
 
Grey said:
This weekend saw Joseph O'Brien ride a winner at the Breeders Cup and also land the Irish apprentice championship with 57 winners, which is a record. He finished third in the jockeys' championship behind Johnny Murtagh and Pat Smullen.

I think these are fine achievements.
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He has improved hugely - fair play to him - fantastic achievements and might even have a crack at the main championship itself new season if he can keep his weight stable. He seems to be a decent young man to boot.
 
On The Bridle said:
nd might even have a crack at the main championship itself new season if he can keep his weight stable.
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Turf Handicap Wins

Johnny Murtagh 24
Ben Curtis 23
Pat Smullen 21
Fran Berry 20
Shane F 18
O'Brien 12

Higher number for J O'Brien than I thought given his well documented weight issues. A crack at the jockey's title is far less ridiculous than I first assumed.
 
SlimChance said:
Handicap Wins (including Dundalk)

Murtagh 31
Smullen 25
O'Brien 20
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With the proposed tightening of the rating bands that HRI are planning they will be likely more opportunities for him at 9st or over plus with his claim now gone he can ride in all maiden races without doing overweight. It looks like AOB will protect him by not appointing a big name stable jockey and with the likes of Eddie Lynam, Pat Flynn etc continuing to use him he might be worth a pop.
 
SlimChance said:
What price would you expect? I think he was 25/1 at the start of this season.
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Not a Market I would have a bet on but would say somewhere about 12 or 14/1 would be about right. The top two will be hard to beat. He would have walked the apprentice title last year if he hadn't been suspended so often.
 
I think the lad's brilliant, especially for his tender age. The way he concertinas his frame down to streamline into the horse is superb. I'd agree with him going over obstacles later on, though, and in a wee chat with Simon Holt a couple of weeks back, he sees him as a potential NH champion rider. No reason why not, unless he doesn't fancy cracking the occasional bone.

He seems to be coming along well in personal confidence, too - his huge smiles and clear happiness at the Breeders went down very well with the crowd and he handled his interviews extremely well. A jockey who - Frankie apart - smiles! Now there's a refreshing change.
 
krizon said:
I'd agree with him going over obstacles later on, though, and in a wee chat with Simon Holt a couple of weeks back, he sees him as a potential NH champion rider. No reason why not, unless he doesn't fancy cracking the occasional bone.
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He was fearless (to a scary point) over fences as a kid
 
Miesque said:
He was fearless (to a scary point) over fences as a kid
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There is absolutely no need for him to contemplate being a NH jockey if he can keep his weight to 9st. He would reduce his earnings potential by about 70% at least if he went the NH route. I don't think his parents would be overly enamoured either.

It was curious he didn't pick up any of the Wachman rides tonight with Wayne Lordan off the scene. Niall McCullogh was a strange enough booking I thought.
 
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I'd have thought that his earnings wouldn't be the biggest issue, given the family and connections with whom he is associated. It'd be more about what he might prefer to do if he finds keeping his weight down tiresome. As for parents - if you really worried about your offspring's safety, you wouldn't let them up on a horse at all! But with the ones he's got, they're more aware than most of the dangers inherent in riding very fast, strong and frequently wilful beasts and encouraged, rather than discouraged, the lad. There may be no 'need' for him to take up NH, but it's strongly rooted in the national psyche as much as the Flat - or even more - and that might be somewhere he'd like to head for a while. Heck, he could even go dual code!

Interesting insight, Miesque.
 
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