What a treble! Meet the pre-trainer of this season's Grand National, Gold Cup and King George winners

Plenty of top-class horses have spent their formative years at the O'Byrne family's The Lodge Stud, but this jumps season has proved an extraordinary success story with the winners of the King George, Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National all coming through the academy in Kilmacthomas, County Waterford.

Members of the O'Byrne clan have made a significant mark on the bloodstock industry with brothers John, Roddy and Demi all distinguished judges, while Demi also served as head vet to the legendary trainer Vincent O'Brien before a lengthy stint as a key part of Coolmore's purchasing team.

• 'Don't take it away from me, not now' - how I won the Grand National, by Patrick Mullins

The Lodge Stud, which is operated by John's son Timmy, nurtures equine talent for some of the biggest trainers and owners in Ireland. Many of JP McManus's stars get put through their paces at the equine nursery and last month's Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin was one of those to gain his initial education at O'Byrne's yard, as did King George hero Banbridge.

Inothewayurthinkin: Gold Cup heroCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Inothewayurthinkin came here as a two-year-old," said O'Byrne. "I had a lot of very good horses for JP over the years. I've had Carlingford Lough, At Fishers Cross, Lethal Weapon, to name a few, while more recently we had Spillane's Tower. He's been a great supporter of ours.

"I've a lot of horses here for Joseph [O'Brien]. Banbridge and Home By The Lee come here for a summer's break before they go back to their trainer. Banbridge is a complete gentleman of a horse and won the King George, while Home By The Lee won a Grade 1 at Leopardstown."

Nick Rockett sealed a phenomenal hat-trick of big races for Lodge Stud graduates last Saturday when landing the Grand National under Patrick Mullins for his father Willie. The son of Walk In The Park was bought by Timmy for his uncle Roddy, who named him after a local friend, Nick, whose nephew recently took over the local pub, and patrons of Rockett's Bar were quids in on Saturday when his namesake romped home at 33-1.

"Eddie Rockett has the pub in Kilmacthomas and the horse was named after Eddie's uncle Nick. 

"Roddy enjoys naming horses after locals. He had Danny Connors years ago who ended up being a good horse and Danny Kirwan also. Any horse he has named after a local man was good to him. There's plenty of people locally who have followed him since Nick Rockett won his point-to-point locally in Curraghmore. Roddy was very good friends with Nick, he was a local man.

Banbridge: the first leg of a famous hat-trickCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Kieran Cotter bred him and I've known him a long time and we're very good friends. Roddy called me from America looking to buy a three-year-old so I went over to Kieran's to look at 11 or 12 heading to the sales and I wanted this horse. I bought him on the day and he was broken here before going to Pat Doyle's.

"Any horse you deal with whether you breed them or mind them for the next man, you always get a kick out of seeing them win races."

O'Byrne added: "This would have to be up there with our best years in terms of graduates; a Gold Cup and Grand National winner out of the same yard from the same year is extraordinary. It's the second Grand National winner out of the yard after Miinnehoma."

So, who is the next star to emerge from Kilmacthomas?

"I think we sold a very nice horse to Robcour recently called Tim Toe. I bought him for Roddy from Kieran as well and he won first time out at Thurles recently. He could be a very good horse."

Read more here

'Don't take it away from me, not now' - how I won the Grand National, by Patrick Mullins 

Grand National star Nick Rockett helps three punters stun bookies - including near £30,000 win from a £1 each-way bet 

How to ride the winner of the new-style Grand National - Patrick Mullins and Nick Rockett prove patience now pays off  

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