'129 is the target' - O'Brien bullish about achieving record tally after double

Monday: Hereford

Fergal O’Brien has his eyes firmly set on surpassing last season’s record-breaking tally of winners after landing a double.

Marble Sands cruised to a 22-length victory in the 2m3½f maiden hurdle, before Kingston Sunflower landed the 2m novice hurdle.

The Gloucestershire-based trainer ended the 2021-22 campaign with 128 winners, but he's well on the way to bettering that total with 75 victories already in the bag.

"We couldn’t be happier with how everything is going, it’s a testament to everyone and the work that’s going on at home," said O’Brien.

"129 is the target, so hopefully we can get to that. We just want a bit of consistency but I’m delighted with the way we’re going at the moment."

Marble Sands was making his seasonal debut and the margin of his victory surprised his trainer, despite sent off the 4-5 favourite.

"I thought Mr Henderson’s horse [King Alexander] looked nice and Paul Nicholls’ Fame And Fun did too. The race was a lot deeper and, although I thought Marble Sands would be favourite, he was a lot shorter than I expected.

"He’ll probably go to Newcastle for the French Furze, where he finished third last year, but he’s a lovely second-season novice to go hurdling with."

Consistent mare

Princess T secured a sixth victory of the season when getting the better of fellow joint-favourite Sashenka in the mares' handicap hurdle.

Trained by Neil Mulholland, the seven-year-old has featured ten times since the beginning of the campaign and four of her six victories have come at Les Landes in Jersey.

Results, replays and analysis

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