The End Of A Beginning

It's the scale of Latrobe's Irish Derby victory that's hard to process. There's the first time siblings have won Ireland's premier classic as trainer and jockey. Then there's Joseph adding to two wins as jockey with a first classic as a trainer. Not to mention Donnacha continuing to emulate his big brother's achievements in the saddle. There's even Latrobe leading home four horses trained by their father. Overall it was unique familial dominance of a major classic. Amidst all the Derby angles however maybe the most relevant is that Joseph O'Brien is 25 and his father still only 48.

Prophecy can usually be safely dismissed as the territory of chancers, especially in as essentially unpredictable a game as racing. A lot of us are certainly very happy indeed that our forecasts aren't held up to post-race forensic examination. But it's hardly outrageous to suggest this may be a sign of things to come.

Aidan O'Brien's reign at Ballydoyle shows no sign of ending anytime soon. If anything last year's world-record Group 1 haul suggests someone still in thrall to the sport for which he has redrawn the statistical parameters. Saturday's Derby outcome ensures his closest pursuer in Ireland's trainer's table right now is his son. And he only looks to be getting into his stride.

In the two years he has officially held a trainer's licence, Joseph O'Brien has advertised his prowess both across the codes, including with Edwulf's Irish Gold Cup win, and across the globe through Rekindling's Melbourne Cup victory. By any standard it has been a stratospherically successful beginning to a new career.

Naysayers may argue that few have ever had such a strong foundation to such a new career but it's hard to know what O'Brien is supposed to do about that. Just as there were detractors during his riding career - and of Donnacha in the saddle now - all either can reasonably do is make the most of the opportunities given to them. And only real malcontents can argue they're not doing that.

Latrobe's success shows there's nothing wrong with either this trainer's ambition or confidence and clearly he wasn't asleep at the wheel when riding his father's horses. Latrobe raced off an official mark of 103 on Saturday - down 1lb for winning a maiden just three weeks before - but showed the sort of rapid progress that has become synonymous with horses trained by O'Brien Snr.

It was a third Group One for O'Brien Jnr in less than two years and in each of them it was his father who had to give best. These are the kind of stats that will surely encourage both current and prospective high-powered owners to send more and better stock to 'The Hill.' Success after all does breed success.

Then again the same was probably said three decades ago about Vincent and David O'Brien and those forecasters got it badly wrong. Nevertheless it's hard to see this Derby as the end of anything. Maybe not even the beginning of the end. Ultimately this may be the end of a beginning to a truly special racing rivalry.

A glimpse of what the Derby could be like for years to come at the Curragh came on Saturday too. Glorious sunshine set the tone around the parade ring and if the fact only 6,000 people could be catered for on-site once again made the occasion look a lost opportunity in a broader sense, as small pictures go it was pretty lovely.

There was a refreshing informality to it all. It was weather for casual attire, certainly for most of the male audience, because more suited and booted alternatives would have been stifling. In similar conditions there are tracks in Britain where permission might have been given for gentlemen to loosen their ties. Or it might not, which only proves how it isn't ties that need loosening.

More seriously, and in the spirit of giving credit where it's due, kudos to those involved in the early decision to cancel two steeplechases scheduled for Roscommon next week due to the extremely dry and warm weather conditions being experienced. Such flexibility is another difference between the jurisdictions and it's good to see it being employed both in a sensible and timely manner.

No doubt there will be some disappointed with the call. And they're only a rogue cloudburst away from feeling some vindication. But this is not an issue for taking any sort of 'ah, shag it, t'will do' attitude anymore. More and more an attitude of discretion is important when it comes to such decisions.

The need for more of an attitude of transparency always lurks around the regulatory corner here. There was an element of that again at the Curragh on Saturday in relation to Kevin Manning's ride on Smash Williams when the jockey appeared to ease up in the closing stages. Considering the horse lost third place by just a head it inevitably provoked plenty of comment.

Maybe a quiet official word with Manning established the reason behind him easing up and nothing more was said. Or maybe nothing was said about the matter at all by anyone. But from the outside looking in it looked something the stewards should have examined in some way. And if they did then that should have been reported to the racing public in the stewards report.

Maybe transparency of various kinds will be among Nicky Harterey's priorities when the new HRI chairman appears before the joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food & Marine on Tuesday. A HRI diary notice declares the appearance is to "discuss his appointment...and his vision, priorities and challenges for his term of office."

Considering his predecessor's rather lumbering displays in front of the Committee sometimes it will be interesting to examine Hartery's own performance although the fact such an appearance is being flagged suggests any interview techniques employed aren't likely to be particularly strenuous.

And finally, a lot of people were sad to hear of the passing last week of Dr Walter Halley, the former Turf Club medical officer, who held the position from 1989 to 2007. He was succeeded by Dr Adrian McGoldrick who has continued Walter's pioneering work here in terms of jockey safety and was one of many to pay fulsome tribute.

Walter could cut a rather patrician figure sometimes although it never took long to detect the hugely professional, decent and caring man underneath. He was one of the most distinctive presences on Ireland's racecourses for a long time. That presence will be sadly missed.