No joy for Donnacha O’Brien at Dundalk

PA Sport Reporters
January 10, 2020 8:30 pm

Fledgling trainer will have to wait for first winner.

Donnacha O’Brien was out of luck with his first two runners as a trainer at Dundalk on Friday evening.

The 21-year-old brought his relatively short but sweet riding career to an end in late November, having been crowned champion jockey in Ireland in each of the past two seasons.

He rode a total of 10 Group One winners, including four Classic victories aboard Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Forever Together in the Oaks at Epsom and Latrobe in the Irish Derby at the Curragh.

O’Brien, who is training out of the County Tipperary yard formerly occupied by multiple Group One-winning trainer David Wachman, saddled his first runner as Mythologic lined up in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Maiden.

The three-year-old, who was previously trained by O’Brien’s father, Aidan, was sent off the 4-1 joint-favourite for the mile event – but despite finishing strongly in the hands of Gavin Ryan, he had to settle for third behind Moll.

Flower Garland was also a transfer from Ballydoyle ahead of the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap.

With Ryan once again in the plate, the daughter of Footstepsinthesand was the 3-1 market leader, but could finish only fifth as the Ado McGuinness-trained Eglish claimed top honours.