Banbridge team considering plans for King George ‘superstar’

Joseph O’Brien reports “superstar” Banbridge to have returned home in top form following his King George VI Chase heroics on Boxing Day, with all options on the table for later in the season.

The Owning Hill handler has enjoyed a stellar career both in and out of the saddle, winning the Derby twice during his time as a jockey and becoming a regular top-level scorer in both codes since turning his attentions to training.

Already a Classic-winning trainer on the level who has also got his hands on two Melbourne Cups, he enjoyed arguably his greatest triumph in the National Hunt sphere when Banbridge hunted down French raider Il Est Francais to claim the Christmas feature at Kempton Park.

His successful Sunbury raider has arrived safely back at O’Brien’s County Kilkenny base, with O’Brien soon to start plotting his big-race winner’s next move alongside owner Ronnie Bartlett.

Describing his Christmas champion as an “unusual horse”, O’Brien admits there will be plenty to discuss when determining Banbridge’s spring target.

O’Brien said: “He’s back home and seems to have pulled up well. He will have a little rest now and we’ll make some future plans in due course.

“We won’t do anything for the next week or so and we’ll just make sure he is OK after the race and give him some time to recover before we look at our options for the spring.”

He went on: “He’s kind of an unusual horse in that you can make a case for running him in the Champion Chase, Ryanair, Gold Cup or just waiting for Aintree and not running in any of them.

“He’s a superstar and I think we will just see how he is over the next week and speak with Ronnie before deciding where we go in the spring.”

Reflecting on the enormity of Banbridge’s Kempton success, O’Brien added: “It was a special day and the King George is a special race to watch. Like most, I’ve grown up watching it on the TV and it was great to have a runner in the race and it was really special to also win it.

“To do it for Ronnie and his team who have supported me for a long time was also fantastic and it was a great day.”