Golden Sword Full Brother Wins Melbourne Cup
THE 2017 Melbourne Cup will be remembered as the day 24-year-old trainer Joseph O’Brien overshadowed his legendary father Aidan O’Brien to create a famous chapter in the race that stops the nation with a full brother to Golden Sword.
Joseph O’Brien’s Rekindling edged past his father’s Johannes Vermeer with 100m to run to win by a short head in a dramatic finish.
Johannes Vermeer held on for second ahead of Max Dynamite (third) and Big Duke (fourth).
Rekindling trainer Joseph O’Brien is now enjoying his first Melbourne Cup triumph after the 24-year-old trumped his dad, champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, in a dramatic family showdown.
Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Vermeer led the field with 150m to run, but was edged out by a short head when his son’s Rekindling made a frantic run to the post.
Fittingly, Rekindling was the youngest horse in the race.
Joseph O’Brien told Channel 7 he spoke to his dad after the race and is still stunned by his Cup success. “I spoke to him and he’s delighted,” Joseph said. “It’s unbelievable.”
Rekindling owner Lloyd Williams also told Channel 7 he warned Aidan O’Brien to watch his back — because his son was breathing down his neck.
On Tuesday, the son went ahead of his legendary father. “I’m proud of this young man (Joseph),” Williams said.
“He’s a star, an absolute star. I’ve been telling people his Dad needs to watch out.”
He said during the official presentation of the Melbourne Cup, that history will soon recognise Joseph O’Brien as one of the leading trainers in the world.
The O’Brien quinella was a dream result for the Irish family — but only because the apprentice toppled the master.
Rekindling’s run pulled off a $4.5 million swoop by the Williams connections with the $3.6 million first-prize and the $900,000 second-prize both heading to the iconic racing family and its connections.
Golden Sword, a resident of Summerhill Stud is the sire of Oaks Listed winner Belle Rose.
He is the Graded Stakes winner of four races from 1400m to 2400m, earning more than R7-million in prize money and the runaway winner of the time-honoured Chester Vase (Gr3).
Golden Sword came within two lengths of the upset of the decade when running World Champion Sea The Stars to the line in the Investec English Derby (Gr1). He was also runner-up in the Irish Derby (Gr1) to triple Group One ace, Fame And Glory.
Golden Sword was the second highest-rated Northern Hemisphere-bred son of High Chaparral. This is also the family of Alexandrova (3 x Gr1s), Magical Romance (Gr1), Doyoun (Gr1) and Chicquita (Irish Oaks Gr 1 in 2013) etc.
Golden Sword’s stud fee for 2017 is available on application.
