Ex Irish champion jockey and now trainer Donnacha O'Brien is looking to make his mark on the training world and land his first Classic contest in the Irish 1000 Guineas with Fancy Blue.
The youngster was a Classic winner as a rider landing the 2000 Guineas in successive years with Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia but now he is looking to make a big impact in his first season as a trainer.
His big chance looks to be coming in the Irish1000 Guineas with his filly Fancy Blue who was unbeaten in both her races, winning at Naas on debut before landing a Listed contest at the Curragh.
The filly was given to O'Brien from his father Aidan who has helped where possible in his start up as a new and inexperienced handler.
Fancy Blue is currently 33/1 to land the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket but it looks as if she will instead stay in Ireland and look to compete in the Irish Classic instead.
A treble for Aidan O'Brien & @Ballydoyle @curraghrace as Fancy Blue swoops late to land the Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 13, 2019
🥇 Precious Moments
🥇 Tango
🥇 Fancy Blue pic.twitter.com/Xq6sAIdyOc
(Credit Racing Post) He explained: "We will start her off at Newmarket or the Curragh but, with the way the programme is, I think the Curragh could be a better option. There are few different ways of thinking – you could go to Newmarket and then you'd have the options of Royal Ascot or maybe even the Pretty Polly Stakes. If you stay at home and run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas you could go on to the Irish Oaks after that.
"We need to have a bit of a think but I'd probably be leaning towards the Irish Guineas and then the Irish Oaks but that isn't set in stone, or even nearly set in stone for that matter."
Wherever the youngster heads up, the trainer is looking to eventually put her in the Irish Oaks with her best assets looking to be over middle distance races with how she is bred and has ran to date.
He said: "She is bred to be a middle-distance filly and whatever Guineas she starts in, that will probably be her prep run for the Oaks."
O'Brien added: "But we couldn't be happier with her and she is in great form. Obviously we were working towards the original Guineas date at Newmarket with her all along so she has plenty of work done and her work has been good.
"We just had to back off her for a week or two and, when we get closer to the race, we will step it back up again with her. But I was very happy with her work when we were building up towards the race towards the end of May so hopefully there will be plenty to look forward to with her wherever we start off."