O’Callaghan hoping Rapid Applause can reward patience
The young trainer has already made giant strides since taking over the yard in July 2013 and he has high hopes for next year with exciting prospects such as Rapid Applause and Military Angel leading the way.
Both showed great promise in their juvenile campaign and could possibly develop into Classic contenders.
Crotanstown housed Classic winners in the past when the incumbent was Jack Rogers, who won a hat-trick of champion trainer titles from 1935-37.
O’Callaghan has a long way to go, but is fired by ambition.
“We’ve had a good year in what was my first full season. Before that I was only training part time,” he said.
“We decided to give it a go this year and we’ve done well with horses that weren’t too expensive and we’ve been punching above our weight.
“It’s a very famous old yard. It had been quiet for the last couple of decades but, hopefully, we’ll bring it back to life.
“We’ve been here since July 2013 and we’ve spent a lot of time getting it back up to scratch and improving the facilities.
“Before that I had a farm rented about 30 minutes from the Curragh.
“I think I could have done better this year, but if you’re not ambitious you’ll get nowhere.
“We should have a bigger string next year.”
Trainers need to be laced with a thick seam of patience and O’Callaghan appears blessed with it, as his handling of Rapid Applause shows.
He decided to put the Royal Applause colt away for the season after he was second to Cappella Sansevero in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh at the end of August.
“He was put away after his last run in the Round Tower because basically everything he did this year was a bonus,” said O’Callaghan.
“I know he won his maiden in April, but he’s a big two-year-old and very tall. He was raw all year.
“I kept thinking we’d give him one more run then put him away and he came back for more. All the same he only ran four times, but with every run he got better.
“He has an entry in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. It’s a big step up, but that’s where he’s going.
“He’ll go for a trial sometime in the spring. There’s a nice trial now at Dundalk on the Polytrack. That could be a possibility as sometimes in the spring the ground in Ireland can be very soft.
“There are a few options for him, but looking at his last couple of runs he’s going to appreciate stepping up in trip. He could be a Jersey horse next year. The two-year-old form in Ireland this year is very strong and he’s right up there with them.
“Physically he’s probably been beaten by proper two-year-old horses.
“He’s going to improve over the winter and he’s one that you want to get up for early in the mornings.
“He was staying on at the line when second to Cappella Sansevero and he’ll definitely get seven furlongs. He might get the mile as well.
“We’re shaping up to have a bigger string, about 26 or 27. Hopefully we can get a few more over the winter and pick up a few more at the breeze-ups.
“We’re getting some good support now. We have a nice filly (Military Angel) who won her maiden first time out for the same owner as Military Attack, a good horse in Hong Kong.
“We managed to get a winner for them with their first runner. That’s helping us. We’re getting horses from good outside owners and that’s where you want to be so we can punch above our weight all the time.
“She won her maiden very impressively first time out at Roscommon. The horse that finished second to her went out and won a maiden at the Curragh the next day.
“I’d say she could be a black-type filly. She’s very exciting, like Rapid Applause, and is relatively unexposed.
“She could be aimed at a couple of trials in the spring.”
