Donnacha O’Brien has been around many elite horses in his relatively short career and knows better than to shy away from a challenge because of one opponent, no matter how talented.
But taking on Ka Ying Rising, the world’s best sprinter, attempting an incredible 20th consecutive win, seems sporting in the extreme.
Yet O’Brien is doing just that with lightly-raced Comanche Brave in the HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (6f/1200m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 26 April).
Famous racing family
The 27-year-old from Tipperary, son of Aidan O’Brien and brother of Joseph, comes from one of Ireland’s most famous racing families.
He was twice champion jockey there and has sent out nine Group 1 winners since taking out a trainer’s licence six years ago.
O’Brien trains just under 100 horses, and a win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar, United States of America, in October saw him strike a blow outside his normal orbit.
Good success
Trips to the Middle East with Comanche Brave followed, and now he is eager to keep progressing.
“It’s lovely to have had good success, and this is another step at the big international meetings, and I’m excited to see how it goes. Comanche Brave is a nice horse who seems to be improving,” O’Brien said.
“He was third in the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup and then third in the 1351 Turf Sprint but I’ve always wanted to have a go back at sprint trips with him. He shows a lot of pace at home but he kept running well at a mile.
“We’ve just got to bite the bullet now, come back to six furlongs, and see how we go.”
Admiration
O’Brien’s admiration for Hong Kong’s great champion is clear.
“We are under no illusions; Ka Ying Rising is an absolute machine. He’s done nothing but impress me in everything I’ve seen him do. He’s so tactical; he just looks rock solid,” he said.
“He’s got that early pace and then he relaxes, especially around a track he knows so well. There doesn’t seem to be any chink in his armour.
“It’s a big task we face to beat him, but it looks like it’s not going to be a full field, and there’s very good prizemoney in behind him.
“At the end of the day, they are all thoroughbreds; they can all have ‘off’ days. Sure, if you’re not in it, you can’t win.”
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Optimism
Comanche Brave was sold earlier this year by Sue Magnier and Annemarie O’Brien (Donnacha’s mother) to owner Muhaideb A Almuhaideb, whose colours the four-year-old carried in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February.
The owner will be represented on race day at Sha Tin by associate Khalid Mishref.
The Wootton Bassett colt has won two of his 11 starts and was placed in the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.
O’Brien had the final optimistic word, saying: “He’s travelled well in his races, he’s never looked like he’s been lacking speed. And the form of that Saudi race now looks very strong.”
FWD Champions Day from Sha Tin features three top-class Group 1 contests, the HK$30 million (approx. £2.8m) FWD QEII Cup, HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) FWD Champions Mile and the HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) Chairman’s Sprint Prize.