Brouder brothers going from strength to strength The Brouder brothers from Listowel continue to make waves in the jumping world and Gearoid joined the party yesterday with his first winner in the National Hunt arena. That came in a Naas handicap hurdle on Val O’Brien’s Muhaafiz. For good measure Gearoid was followed home in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle by his brother Gavin, on the Ross O’Sullivan-trained favourite Bythesametoken. “I’ve had sixteen winners on the Flat but yesterday was my first jumps winner,” said Gearoid today. “Last season was my first riding over jumps. I’ll still be riding on the Flat though. “I’m based with Ian O’Connor here in Listowel and whoever needs me after that for a couple of days in the week. “We’re all going well. I’m the oldest. I started off Kevin and he started off Gavin then and it just kept going from there. “Kevin is based down here with me. He rides plenty for Charles Byrnes and Barry Connell. “Gavin then is based with James Nash. “Even if Kevin caught Darragh O’Keeffe he still wouldn’t win the conditional title as his claim will be gone by then.” Gearoid thinks Muhaafiz is worth keeping on the right side of. “I think he can go up the ranks if he stays sound,” he reflected. “I was worried about Gavin’s horse yesterday but things worked to plan. “After filling my horse’s lungs from the front, and after quickening from the four pole, I knew I was always going to win after that. “I know it looked like that if Gavin got out earlier he might have caught me, but my horse had plenty of running left in him.” (EM)
