O'Leary's Embittered wins Naas maiden, Royal Bond next

Michael O'Leary's Embittered earned an ante-post quote for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in March following his win in the opening Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle at Naas today, scoring for Breeders Cup winning trainer Joseph O’Brien and jockey J.J. Slevin.

The son of Fame And Glory today overturned 4/9 favourite and eventual runner-up Blackbow having his first run since finishing second in the 2018 Punchestown Champion Bumper, when scoring a half length success.

Afterwards Paddy Power and BetfairSportsbook, which is the same entity, introduced Embittered at 33/1 for the Supreme Novices Hurdle next March and following the race trainer O'Brien stated “he was a decent bumper horse and he jumped well. He did well to win as I thought he’d want the race.

“He was a bit keen in his bumpers but he settled well today. We’ve put a hood on him and spent a lot of time trying to teach him to relax. JJ gave him a lovely ride.

“He could go for the (Grade 1) Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.”

Embittered is the latest in O'Leary's 'brutalist collection' of Gigginstown-named horses and joins the likes of Ferocious, Hell On Earth, Grotesque, Eviscerating, Narcissistic, Insult and Apocalypse, now deceased, to have carried the purple and white in the past year, along with French-named Vengeful.

Quotes from Alan Magee