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O’Connor backs Blue to carry him all the way to gold

Cian O’Connor believes he can win gold for a second time at the Olympics.

As is well documented, he had to return the medal he won in Athens in 2004 when his horse Waterford Crystal tested positive for banned substances.

O’Connor, however, believes that in the intervening eight years, he has learned much, become more humble while insisting he has a clear conscience.

More importantly, he feels he has the ammunition in Blue Loyd to reach the top again in London, having been installed in place of Denis Lynch, who had his nomination controversially withdrawn on Monday.

“I believe I have as good a chance as anybody of winning gold and I am basing that on my form all year, but more especially on how my horse jumped in the nations cup in Aachen last week. It is one of the biggest tests you will meet and there were only four double clears and I was the only rider to have four faults over two rounds, which in essence meant I finished fifth. At the biggest show in the world, that in any man’s books, is not too bad,” said O’Connor last night.

“Obviously, I will need a bit of luck and things will have to go our way, but I know I can deliver on the big occasion.”.

Earlier, he told TV3’s Sinead Kissane the controversy of Athens still casts a cloud.

“It’s something I will never get away from, it’s part of who I am... but I mean a true test for me is when I ride into the main ring in Dublin on Friday afternoon in the Aga Khan I get a roar and applause and I suppose those are the things that keep you going. Obviously, it upset people because it was a gold medal that Ireland won and it had to go back, but myconscience is clear,” said the 32-year-old, who added “I think I am possibly more humble.”

Asked what he felt about the opinion of some people that he should not compete in an Olympics again, O’Connor said: “Some of it is maybe barstool talk, lack of information. Not everybody is going to be your biggest fan.”

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