O'Reilly (far side) with runner-up Hms Seahorse© Photo Healy Racing
O'Reilly credited his owner Nick Brady with a 91st birthday present at Leopardstown today, scoring for the former American Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, in the opening Leopardstown Maiden.
O'Reilly, a son of Frankel, and Ballydoyle's Hms Seahose both raced upsides entering the home straight, with O'Reilly and jockey Shane Foley eventually prevailing by a half-length.
Afterwards Kate Harrington, representing her mother and winning trainer Jessica Harrington, reported “it’s Nick Brady’s 91st birthday today so it’s a nice birthday present for him. The horse is named after Tony O’Reilly who would be a very good friend of Nick.”
She added “he took a bit of a blow and there should be plenty of improvement to come.
“We had him in at Navan but took him out because of the ground. He really appreciated that ground. We’ll take baby steps with him and step him up to a mile and a quarter. In a better quality race he’ll travel well.
“He’s always had a high head carriage since day one but he showed a good attitude there today.”
Today's red, white & black racing silks of Brady's Mill House Stables are similar to those carried by 1963 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Mill House.
Quotes from Alan Magee
