Shooting from the hip: the best quotes from the always outspoken Michael O'Leary

Michael O'Leary stunned the jump racing world on Tuesday when revealing plans to no longer invest in young stock and to wind down his prolific Gigginstown House Stud operation in the next four years. Here are some of the standout quotes from a man never short of an opinion.

"He is without doubt the worst horse I own"
O'Leary after Champagne Classic's win in the Martin Pipe at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old defeated Penhill in the Grade 1 Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on his next start

"Phil Smith has put those horses up – at least tell us before we waste money entering in the Grand National"
O'Leary on the BHA senior handicapper ahead of Smith's handicapping of his horses in the 2017 Randox Health Grand National

"He's not as good as the hype makes out. He will never be as good as the hype makes out, and if he turns out to be a reasonably good chaser in time, great, but he’s not the next coming of Jesus Christ"
O'Leary dampening the hype around Samcro at Fairyhouse in 2017

"I think he's somewhat overweight, not as good looking as me, but he's better at training horses than I am"
O'Leary on Gordon Elliott after Samcro's victory in the 2018 Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown

"He's a rat of a little thing"
O'Leary on Tiger Roll after his first Grand National victory in 2018

"I got some criticism last year for limiting you to one drink per person, but now you can have two drinks! Buy your food in Dublin – on this flight we’re drinking!"
O'Leary on his Ryanair flight back to Dublin after Tiger Roll had won an historic second-straight Grand National in April

"I’ll never forget this. You wait two years and then four come along in one day!"
O’Leary after a memorable Gigginstown four-timer on the final day of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival. Tiger Roll (Triumph), Very Wood (Albert Bartlett), Don Poli (Martin Pipe) and Savello (Grand Annual) were the four winners

"She did it so well that you maybe have to now factor in that she should go for the Champion Hurdle"
O’Leary after he decided to reroute Apple’s Jade from the Mares’ Hurdle to the Champion Hurdle after her scintillating 16-length Irish Champion Hurdle romp in February

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