History for jockey-turned-trainer Joseph O’Brien as Iridessa is sole European winner at Breeders’

After becoming the youngest winning jockey when he won the Turf race aged 18 aboard St Nicholas Abbey in 2011, the 26-year-old son of trainer Aidan now also becomes the youngest winning trainer in the event.

The only European-based winner at the two-day meeting, Iridessa clung on gamely to win by a neck from Vasilika in second to also secure a breakthrough win at the meeting for jockey Wayne Lordan. Her narrow success was a fourth at the highest level, and Lordan, 37, has been at the helm for each victory.

While the meeting was largely a disappointment for the European entries, Iridessa ensured it was not a complete failure. The victory also puts O’Brien in fine company, with his father Aidan, Vincent O’Brien and John Oxx the only other Irish-based trainers to have won a Breeders’ Cup race. Race favourite Sistercharlie was third a further two and a quarter lengths back, while Frankie Dettori finished fourth in the race with Fanny Logan, with Aidan O’Brien’s Just Wonderful taking fifth.

Speaking afterwards Joseph said, “It’s unbelievable. I’ve always got a much greater kick training a winner than riding a winner since I stated training.
“It’s a dream, really, I’ve had a handful of Breeders’ Cup runners, but for this to happen it’s very special and it hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Frenchman Freddy Head is the only other man to win at the event as both a rider and trainer. He won the Breeders’ Cup Mile as a jockey for the second time in 1988 and as a trainer 20 years later.

There was a comfortable success for the Ignacio Correas IV-trained Blue Prize in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Ridden by Joe Bravo, Blue Prize came in a steady length and a half ahead of race favourite Midnight Bisou who could only make second. Serengeti Empress led the rest of the trailing field back in third a further three lengths adrift.

The girls came out on top in the Breeders’ Cup Mile as Uni defeated Got Stormy for Chad Brown and Joel Rosario. Aidan O’Brien had hopes of winning the race for a first time having finished runner-up four times previously, but Circus Maximus was out of the places, finishing fourth.

Uni pulled clear with Got Stormy in the straight after Hey Gaman and El Tormenta had cut out the running. Rounding the final turn the field had stacked up behind the leaders and it was Brown’s five-year-old mare who possessed the best turn of foot. Brown also took third with Without Parole, who was formerly trained by John Gosden.

That victory sealed a treble for Rosario after a landing a quick-fire double earlier on the card. The first came in the Qatar Twilight Derby as Mo Forza came in a length and three-quarters to the good for trainer Peter Miller, from Succeedandsurpass who grabbed second by a neck from race favourite Neptune’s Storm in third.

Success there was followed by Rosario also taking out the race that followed, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, this time on board joint favourite Covfefe. Here the margin of victory was three-quarters of a length for the Brad H Cox trained horse, ahead of Bellafina in second and Dawn The Destroyer in third.