Joseph O'Brien: the sheer scale and versatility of his operation is staggering
Last Saturday morning, having just logged on to the Racing Post website in eager anticipation of Luxembourg's Vertem Futurity appearance, I was astonished to learn that Joseph O'Brien had won the Cox Plate with State Of Rest.
To win a race of the status of the Cox Plate with a horse scarcely on the radar for all but the most well-attuned followers of Irish racing was really something else.
This was not the first time the 28-year-old boy wonder of Irish racing has stolen the limelight from his father. Yet this was to be a day when the 52-year-old 'old man' had his say too. Luxembourg duly gave a convincing display at Doncaster, giving rise to hopes he may emulate his sire Camelot by winning the Derby.
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