O'Brien Starts as Trainer With Four Winners

Former Irish champion jockey Joseph O'Brien saddled four winners from seven starters June 6 at two racecourses in Ireland to formally launch his training career.

O'Brien, the 23-year-old son of champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien who just received his trainer license June 3, saddled four runners on Gowran Park's flat card and had three runners over jumps at Listowel. He won with his first starter, 2-year-old Justice Frederick, in the first race at Gowran.

Justice Frederick, who won the seven-furong maiden race by 1 1/2 lengths as the 6-4 favorite, was ridden by his brother Donnacha O'Brien, who also took the day's sixth race for the new trainer aboard Zig Zag, owned by his mother Anne-Marie O'Brien.

Mai Fitzs Jack provided O'Brien with his first winner under National Hunt rules at Listowel in making all the pace in the day's second race with Brian O'Connell in the irons. His sister Sarah O'Brien guided in Oathkeeper in Listowel's final race Monday.

"It's a massive day for us and it's great to get a win both over jumps and on the flat," Aidan O'Brien told England's Press Association of his son's banner day, which came on the anniversary of his first win in 1993.

"I couldn't believe when someone said to me that it was 23 years ago to the meeting (then at Tralee) that I had my first winner with Wandering Thoughts—I couldn't believe that, it is some coincidence.

"Joseph loves it (training)—he loved riding, but it was tough for him for a long time (with making weight)."

Tall for a jockey and plagued by weight issues, Joseph O'Brien decided he would retire from race-riding earlier this year to focus on training. He has been assisting his father with a large string of horses from a base at Piltown, County Kilkenny.

O'Brien piloted a number of top horses during his riding career, many for his father, such as Camelot and Australia; he won the Investec Derby (Eng-I) with both in 2012 and 2014, respectively. He also rode St Nicholas Abbey, winner of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT). 

O'Brien was twice Ireland's champion jockey, in 2012 and 2013, and broke the record for most winners in 2013 with 126.