Calm, confident and collected but fledgling trainer is no daddy's boy

On the opposite side of the hill grow the pine trees. On this one a very tall young man works with his horses. His father, mother, and grandfather also worked their horses on the hill. Joseph O’Brien is the most natural of growths.

He is also a very pleasant one. As a six-foot jockey boiled down to nine stone his eyes used to shrink back into that almost babyish face and the responsibility of riding the multi-million pound Classic hopes saddled by his father Aidan made him loath to say more than a courteous “good morning”.

But now, freed of those restraints in this his first ‘official’ season as a trainer, his face and voice have emerged with an easy authority and a very obvious relish for his new role.