Kilmeaden records notable success for Donnacha O’Brien

Donnacha O’Brien secured his first ever winner over jumps as Kilmeaden caused a minor upset in the opening race at Punchestown on Monday.

While the multiple Group One-winning trainer’s father Aidan and more recently brother Joseph have enjoyed plenty of big-race success under National Hunt rules, Donnacha had not saddled a runner over obstacles before Kilmeaden lined up at Limerick on Boxing Day.

The 91-rated Flat performer did not get off to the best of starts as he was already beaten when falling two flights from the finish and he was an 11-1 shot for his second test in the Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series Maiden Hurdle.

However, he picked up smartly in the hands of J J Slevin and kicked two and a quarter lengths clear of the Willie Mullins-trained Madness d’Elle, and O’Brien told the Press Association: “It’s nice to get it.

“This horse was a nice stayer on the Flat and we schooled him a few times and he schooled well, although he was sometimes a bit careful, so we said we may as well give him a few runs over hurdles and he seems to have taken to it pretty well today. It makes the winter a bit shorter I suppose!

Kilmeaden was cut to 50-1 from 100-1 for the Triumph Hurdle by Paddy Power, giving O’Brien some hope of saddling a first Cheltenham Festival runner in March.

“I don’t really know where we’ll go to be honest. His first run over hurdles was obviously a bit of a step back and we were kind of thinking do we aim him at a Fred Winter,” the trainer added.

“I think he was pretty impressive today, so whether we change plan and throw him into a Triumph Hurdle we’ll see. He’s quite a laid-back horse so whether everything would happen a bit quick for him around Cheltenham, I don’t know, but it could still be worth a shot.

“We’ll take him home and make a plan. I don’t know the jumps programme as well as I do the Flat, but it would be no harm if we could find something else for him before then.

“He’s the only jumps horse we’ve got at the minute and he’s gone and won. Who knows, we might have a few more in the future, but it’s not something we’re looking to get too big in anyway.”