Top flat jockey Donnacha O'Brien, Son of leading Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien is set to undergo horse training courses as he plans for life out of the saddle and following in his fathers and brother Joseph's footsteps.
Donnacha currently holds the title for Ireland's champion jockey and has stressed he has not thought about when he plans on stopping his career as a rider but is in the process of completing the Irish Horse-racing Regulatory Board's Pre-Racehorse Trainers Development Course.
The O'Brien family are one of the most well known relations within the sport and especially on the flat, between the three of them picking up most of the big prizes in flat racing.
Joseph was a Classic winning winning rider and also landed the Irish jockeys title and with Donnacha doing exactly the same it looks as if his next step forward will be to emulate his brothers success as a trainer, with Joseph already landing numerous Group 1s on the flat with his best being the Irish Derby at the Curragh in 2018.
(Credit Racing Post) The young jockey said: "I decided to do the trainers' course with the future in mind. I'll complete the course, which began on May 15, and when I've done it I'll think about things, but the plan for now is to continue riding."
The 20 year old landed the Irish championship last season winning 111 races and is looking to do the same this season but is currently sat in second behind with 21 wins with 2017 champion Colin Keane sitting at the top.
Donnacha has had a superb career as a jockey and some would say arguably better than his brother and last season was his stand out term winning three Classic races.
He landed the first Classic of the season in the 2,000 Guineas with Saxon Warrior. He then backed that up at Epsom in the Oaks with Forever Together and his final one was for his brother in the Irish Derby with Latrobe.
He landed the first Classic of the season again at Newmarket this year with Magna Grecia staying on well to give Donnacha and his father Aidan back to back 2,000 Guineas.
With a problem that runs in the family for the jockey is his height which takes it toll of trying to keep his weight down, which overall was the reason for his brothers retirement form the saddle.
But for now the 20 year old is still going well and will be looking to add to his nine Group 1 victories during his career and has a great chance to take the Derby this campaign with his father holding many of the strongest entries.