Landmark win for O’Brien in Cesarewitch

Teenage rider Donnacha O’Brien hit the headlines at the Curragh yesterday with a landmark success on El Salvador in the Irish Cesarewitch.

The younger brother of Joseph O’Brien, the 16-year-old had only ridden his first winner last month but defied his inexperience with a fine ride on his father Aidan’s five-year-old, running in the colours of his mother, Anne-Marie.

Burdened with top-weight, O’Brien’s 7lb claim proved invaluable as Hidden Universe and Pat Smullen pressed hard through the final furlong.