As a son of master trainer Aidan O’Brien, Joseph O’Brien comes from arguably the best bloodline in the sport. But he’s not content to live in his dad’s shadow and has been making waves of his own in both spheres.
While the biggest wins on the 31-year-old’s CV are perhaps on the flat, notably training two Melbourne Cup winners, an Irish Derby winner, and a St Leger victor, he’s making his presence felt on the National Hunt scene across both sides of the Irish Sea and is starting to regularly feature in racing tips.
Fakir D’oudairies picked up four Grade 1s, including the Melling Chase twice, while Home By The Lee has secured the Christmas Hurdle on two occasions and sets his sights on the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
"The plan, as far as I know, is that Banbridge will now go for the Cheltenham Gold Cup,” Slevin said.
"We will be hoping for a dry week as ever with him, but I think he is going to have a crack at the Gold Cup. He is fresh and well at home as it has been a few weeks since the King George.
"I think it is the right thing to do and have a go at the Gold Cup. He has won a Champion Chase over two miles at Punchestown and a King George over three miles at Kempton, and not too many horses can do that in open company.
"I think we could serve it up to them in the Gold Cup if conditions are right. He is an exciting horse to be hopefully going out and getting jocked up on in the Gold Cup. He has been a great horse for the yard, and it will be interesting to see what happens."
The obvious challenge that Banbridge needs to overcome is Galopin Des Champs. Willie Mullins’ stable star is out to complete a historic hat-trick in the Gold Cup next month, and he’s been in remarkable form with impressive wins at Leopardstown this season.
After finishing third to stablemate Fact To file in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown, a track where he doesn’t perform to his best, the nine-year-old reversed the form with a convincing win in the Savills Chase over Christmas and breezed to Paddy Irish Gold Cup success at the start of February.
Galopin Des Champs is the one to beat in the Prestbury Park showpiece, and his short price of 1/2 reflects that. However, with Fact To File now seemingly likely to head to the Ryanair Chase after being toppled by the dual Gold Cup winner twice, Banbridge could be the chief danger to the hat-trick bid.
Having finished fourth on six on reappearance and unseating Richard Deegan next time out, Banbridge bounced back to form with a remarkable win in the prestigious King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
Under an eye-catching ride from Paul Townend, O’Brien’s charge chased down the front-running Il Est Francais down the home straight, gaining momentum over the French raider with a good jump at the last before staying on for an almost two-length win.
Banbridge won’t have Townend in the saddle on Gold Cup Day, as he’ll be rivalling on Galopin Des Champs, but JJ Slevin is a likely option for O’Brien, and he’s been in form since being confirmed as the retained rider for Issac Souede and Simon Munir.
The nine-year-old will also need the ground to be good on March 14 if he wants to be in with a chance of causing an upset in the Gold Cup. The bad news on that front is that there has been soft in the description for each of the last six renewals.
It’s unlikely anything will be able to stop Galopin Des Champs, but Banbridge certainly has the potential to be one of the biggest dangers.
