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Joseph O'Brien Investec Derby 2018

‘Somebody that you like you’ll work better with and the results will be better’

Aidan O'Brien, who has won at Epsom seven times as a trainer, and his son Joseph, who has ridden to victory twice, reveal the important role that partnerships play in the Investec Derby.

More from the Investec Derby

Read the transcript

Aidan O’Brien: Partnerships are vital in life in every way. Two people working together is the same as a horse and a jockey.

 

All those horses, Joseph knew them, he rode them in all the work which was very unusual, he rode them in all the races, but every day they worked he rode them. We didn't have to worry about explaining anything or telling him anything. He understood and he felt it and he knew more about them than we did really.

 

He knew what they wanted, what they didn't want, if you needed to be hard on them, easy on them, work them, short or long. So it made our job so much more easy, but it was very important obviously when you're riding them in races like Joseph was you have to be very adaptable and to adapt to what the horse needed and what he wanted really I suppose. 

 

On Camelot

Joseph O’Brien: He was a horse you could race a little bit free and he was obviously by Montjeu, so you're always worried that there is a little streak in him but he was a very talented horse, he had an awful lot of class and an awful lot of speed.

 

I remember cantering to the start [of the Investec Derby] and the reigns were looped on his neck and once we'd got to the end of the straight, I knew then that the occasion wasn't getting to him, and that is great staff, great lads with him in the parade ring and all those things made a big difference. 

 

Aidan O’Brien: Joseph rode him very cool he put him to sleep, he didn't take part the first half of the [Investec Derby] race, it's a very hard thing to do on a very short priced favourite. 

 

On Australia

Aidan O’Brien: He had an unbelievable mind, probably the only horse we ever had that had no fight or flight response, he always listened to his rider and obviously it was Joseph, whenever he put him in first gear he stayed in first gear and second gear and I suppose then it was when you motivate him to keep his run coming through Joseph knew that better than anybody.

 

On jockeys

Joseph O’Brien: When you're a rider when you leave the parade ring your job's only starting, whereas from a trainer's point of view your job has finished.

 

Aidan O’Brien: It's all about partnerships in everyday like it's like a person working at home somebody that you like you'll work better with and the results will be better and you'll work longer and harder.

 

A horse needs to trust the rider and the rider needs to trust the horse really.