'The lads often give out to me for saying what I say - but if I didn't say what I thought I wouldn't be being true to myself'
Approaching City Of Troy's date with destiny, Aidan O'Brien chats to David Jennings about his shot at history
It is the same stretch of the M7 motorway that takes you from the Red Cow roundabout in Dublin to junction 19, where you turn off for Cork and eventually look out for the sign for Cashel, Fethard and Clonmel. It is the same quaint village of Rosegreen you pass through just before you get to the big gates guarding the greatest training establishment in Ireland. It is the same splendid avenue that leads you all the way up to the illustrious Giant's Causeway yard. We are sitting in the same armchairs we have sat in many times before. The tea is served in the same china cups and the same purple Snack bars are sitting on a saucer, teasing me the same way they always do.
Everything feels the same at Ballydoyle, only this time it is different.
The recently crowned British champion trainer for a seventh time, and the soon-to-be-crowned 28-time champion trainer of Ireland, walks into the room, puffs out his cheeks, rubs his fingers through his fringe and then proceeds to be so polite that you feel you're doing him a favour by being there, not the other way around.
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Published on inThe Big Read
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- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'
- 'I know how lucky I am. I'm in a very privileged position and not many get the chance I've been given'
- 'You're unfashionable all of a sudden. I was struggling to pay my mortgage, wondering what I was going to do'
- 'Dad can be a grumpy old bugger at times - but he has all those years of experience and you'd be a fool not to use that'
- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'
- 'I know how lucky I am. I'm in a very privileged position and not many get the chance I've been given'
- 'You're unfashionable all of a sudden. I was struggling to pay my mortgage, wondering what I was going to do'
- 'Dad can be a grumpy old bugger at times - but he has all those years of experience and you'd be a fool not to use that'