Early Doors and Mark Walsh
©Healy Racing Photos

The success of the Soldier Of Fortune gelding in the third event at the County Kildare venue, also heralded the completion of a double

 for Mark Walsh, who rode Red Jack a winner in the opener for Joseph O'Brien.

He 'missed' the second last as the well-backed Duca De Thaix moved up travelling ominously.

However when the need was greatest Early Doors flew the last and went on to beat favourite Meri Devie by two lengths.

"He grinded it out well. Mark liked him at Wexford. He was a bit green there and he thought he'd improve, which he has. He jumped a

 bit novicey early but he got the hang of it well. You would have to be pleased with him," said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.

"It was nice to get today out of the way and we'll see where we go now. He handled the ground quite well and hopefully will go on from there."

The 77-year-old Lloyd Williams won a record sixth Melbourne Cup with Rekindling on Tuesday, but this time, it wasn't so much down to experience and guile.

Rather, it was youth that won the day with 24-year-old Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien making an immediate and resounding impact on his Australian debut with the first three-year-old to win the race in 76 years.

 O'Brien will go into the record books as the youngest trainer to win in 157 years and also alongside his legendary father Aidan as the first father/son training quinella in the race after Johannes Vermeerfinished a long neck behind Rekindling.

To round out a famous Irish trifecta in front of a crowd of 90,536, Willie Mullins' durable Max Dynamite added third place to the second he secured behind Prince Of Penzance in 2015.

He may not have been the winner, but Mullins is taking plenty of Australian dollars home with him as Max Dynamite earned $450,000 while his stablemates Thomas Hobson and the veteran Wicklow Brave picked up $125,000 each for finishing sixth and 10th respectively.

Indeed, much of the international assault will leave Melbourne with heavy pockets after eight of the 11 imports in the race finished in the top 10 and therefore secured a minimum $125,000 pay day.

Joseph O'Brien mentioned several times in the post-race press conference that he was finding it hard to believe that he'd just won the Melbourne Cup with the first three-year-old since Skipton in 1941. "I'm speechless," he managed at last.

And for good reason. The former jockey has only been training for a few seasons and arrived in Melbourne barely 24 hours before the Cup after racing a team in the Breeders' Cup in the US. His father is the most famous trainer in the world yet he hasn't been able to win a Melbourne Cup.

It is just Joseph O'Brien's second time Down Under and it is fair to say this year was more enjoyable than his first taste of Australian racing when he was just 15 years old.

That came in 2008 when his father brought three horses Septimus, Honolulu and Alessandro Volta to the Cup only to see all three race too keenly and finish at the tail of the field.

Luckily, he doesn't remember too much about the trip but he promised he would remember November 7, 2017 for the rest of his life once his mind had gotten around the remarkable feat of a first-up Melbourne Cup win.

"It feels a bit unreal to tell you the truth," he said.

O'Brien's life promises to be immersed in horses and racing and travel. Lloyd Williams has been predicting big things from the young O'Brien for some seasons now.

"He's got a pedigree better than Galileo (champion stallion)," Williams quipped. "He is going to be one of the leading trainers in the world."

Williams went further than that in the press conference claiming O'Brien was 'close to walking on water' such was his training performance.

Williams had a stacked hand with six runners in the race. He explained that he and his son Nick race the horses in Europe but when they are brought out to Australia to compete 'Nick puts a few of his friends in to make sure it's a real party'.

The friends only claim about 30-40 per cent of the horse but when you are racing for $6.2 million and the greatest prize in Australian racing, it's not a bad slice of the pie.

Joining in the party last year with Almandin were Vin Sammartino of the Hacer group, co-founder of Rip Curl in Brian Singer, co-founder of Quicksilver in Alan Green, the director of Probuild Constructions in Phil Mehrten as well as music industry great Michael Gudinski as well as Bob Ingham's son John and his wife Fran.

Added to the ownership of both Rekindling and Johannes Vermeer this year were Jayco's Gerry Ryan, who won the 2010 Melbourne Cup with Americain, Mark Ruff of Bulla Thoroughbreds and Heffernan Bloodstock's David Heffernan.

Both Rekindling and Johannes Vermeer won't be around in Australia for too long, with O'Brien outlining plans to return the horses to Ireland so they can be set upon a campaign aimed at the Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next June.

Williams, however, vowed that he and young O'Brien would bring out a team of 'sharp horses' for next year with youth now seemingly the new route to seriously challenging for the Cup.

Joseph O'Brien claimed the biggest win of his training career so far as Rekindling won the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The three-year-old, who was last seen when finishing fourth in the St Leger at Doncaster, outpointed Johannes Vermeer, who is trained by O'Brien's father Aidan, to claim the Group One prize.

The Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite finished third to complete a clean sweep for Irish trainers in the two-mile feature.

Rekindling was settled in behind through the early stages as Boom Time, Gallante and Cismontane were among the first to show, with the latter eventually setting the pace.

Hughie Morrison's Marmelo also raced prominently in fourth while Mullins' Thomas Hobson and the winner's stablemate US Army Ranger were towards the back of the field.

As the pace turned up a notch approaching the home turn, Marmelo threw down his challenge but Johannes Vermeer appeared to be travelling well on his heels and he kicked on with around a furlong and a half to run.

Max Dynamite tried to go with him on the inside but Corey Brown was really just getting to work on Rekindling and the colt found an extra gear on the outside to get up on the line.

O'Brien said: "I can't quite believe it yet. I'm so delighted for Lloyd and Nick (Williams, owners). They suggested to bring him down and that he would have a good chance in the race.

"His prep went really well. Corey gave him an unbelievable ride and I'm just so delighted for everyone - all the lads at home and the lads that have been down here have done an unbelievable job.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest.

"He had a very light weight and Corey gave him a great ride. It's not often in a big race like that the whole run goes so well. I'm over the moon.

"I spoke to my dad and he's delighted.

"I'm so delighted for Lloyd and Nick, they have been big supporters of mine and sent me some lovely horses. There's some nice two-year-olds at home and I'm so delighted to have won this race for them."

O'Brien added: "I'm going to enjoy today and hopefully we'll have a horse good enough to come back."

Lloyd Williams, who was winning the race for the sixth time, told Channel 7: "I'm so proud of this young man - he's a star.

"I've been telling people the father needs to watch out!"

Brown was riding his second Melbourne Cup winner after Shocking in 2009 and said :"I'm speechless. It's a dream to even ride in the race, but to come out and win it again, I'm lost for words.

"I always thought I was going to get Johannes Vermeer, especially with the light weight.

"I had a great run in transit. I was a bit slow away but after speaking to Joseph, I didn't want to rev him up and get him too keen. He had a perfect run and deserved to win."

Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has made a seamless transition from champion jockey to trainer and saddles his 

first Melbourne Cup runners at Flemington.

The son of champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, Joseph, 24, saddles Rekindling and US Army Ranger for Lloyd and 

Nick Williams in Tuesday’s race in an attempt to beat his father to Melbourne Cup glory.

O’Brien senior will be represented by Johannes Vermeer on Tuesday and the closest he’s come to claiming the Cup

 was in 2007 with three-year-old Mahler, third in 2007.

He returned the following year to see Septimus, Alessandro Volta and Honolulu finish down the track and didn’t 

have another runner until Bondi Beach and Kingfisher contested the Cup in 2015.

After attending the Breeders’ Cup meeting, Joseph O’Brien flew in from Los Angeles on Monday for his first official

 involvement in the race although he was in Melbourne two years ago watching his father’s runners.

“It’s good to be back here and I’m looking forward to it,” O’Brien said.

“To be here is a privilege so to win the race would be unbelievable.

“I’ve got two nice horses that I hope to get a good trip around and that’s all we can ask for.”

O’Brien trains from Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, the property where his grandfather, his mother Anne-Marie and

 his father all trained before Aidan moved to Ballydoyle, about an hour away.

But Joseph says his father is only a phone call away, always handy for a young trainer starting out on a new 

crusade.

He prepares a team of 50 or 60 flat horses and has the same number of National Hunt horses in his care.

US Army Ranger, a $61 chance in Melbourne Cup markets, is having his first start for the young trainer after

 starting his career with Aidan and running second in the 2016 Epsom Derby.

Like Mahler, Rekindling ($14) is a three-year-old in northern hemisphere time and O’Brien says he has endured a 

busy year.

“I know his form hasn’t tailed off but he’s had a busy year so that’s a little bit of a worry,” O’Brien said.

“He’s got a good draw, a good jockey in Corey Brown and I’m looking forward to it.”

The three-year-old domination of the feature two mile races this year could force a late surge of support for Rekindling to win Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

Rekindling is a three-year-old by northern hemisphere time but recognised as a four-year-old in Australia and is part of the six-horse arsenal that owner Lloyd Williams is throwing at the Cup in an attempt for a history-changing sixth win as an owner.

Williams noted on Monday morning that the form of three-year-olds in Europe this year combined with Rekindling's healthy state and fitness was a recipe that could be tough to beat on Tuesday.

"In Europe this year, three-year-olds have been beating all the older horses," Williams told RSN 927's Racing Pulse on Monday.

"Stradivarius won the Goodwood Cup, Desert Skyline won the Doncaster Cup, Ice Breeze won the (Prix) Royal-Oak and Defoe won the Geoffrey Freer. They are all three-year-olds beating the older horses.

"Defoe beat Wall Of Fire quite decisively then Defoe went on to run against Rekindling in the St Leger and got beaten out of sight by Rekindling so the three-year-olds in the northern hemisphere at two miles are a bit stronger than these handicap horses."

Williams said he was concerned that Rekindling has been in training for eight months leading into the Cup but otherwise said he could make a great case for the horse to run well.

"What we do know, is that the horse is very well. He's got a blood picture I'd die for but whether April to November is too long, I'm not so sure.

"Rekindling's right there if he's got over his eight months of training. He looks well and he's right in the race with 51.5 (kilograms).

"He's a northern hemisphere three-year-old. Mahler (third) nearly did it for Aidan (O'Brien) back when I beat him with Efficient (2007) and I thought Bondi Beach could possibly do it (2015) when Brett Prebble rode him and he travelled three or four deep for the whole race.

"If the almighty could tell me this horse has got over the fact that he's been in training for eight months, he'd be my top pick.

"I've got a very good guide on him as I've got Order Of St George and he's run against Order Of St George and I say this absolutely reservedly, but I think if Order Of St George had a bit of cut in the track, which you never get in Melbourne, he'd win this race in a canter.

"He's a seriously high class stayer. Now, Rekindling has a bit of form around him."

Of his six runners, Williams said he thought Rekindling and Johannes Vermeer represented the biggest threat to his defending champion Almandin.

The white-faced Band Of Outlaws is ridden out by Padraig Beggy
©Hong Kong Jockey Club

After winning the opener at Cork with Shady Operator, Joseph O'Brien doubled-up with Band Of Outlaws in the 

www.naasracecourse.com Nursery.

Successful on his penultimate start at Limerick, the son of Fast Company since finished fifth in the Birdcatcher over

 the course last month.

Back up to seven furlongs today, he was sent off a 7/2 chance with Epsom Derby winning jockey Padraig Beggy in 

the saddle for owner Justin Carthy.

Settled in mid-division, he came with his challenge on the outer over two furlongs out, and was ridden to lead with

 over a furlong left to race. He soon stretched clear, going on to score easily by four lengths.

Padraig Beggy said afterwards: "Aidan and Joseph have always been very good to me, and we can all win on them if 

they are good enough. Joseph said to get him to relax. I let him come out of my hands and I was in the box seat all 

the way.

"Turning in I thought I'd win, and I've probably won a bit too far. It's tough going out there, it's heavy ground.

"I'll be in Dundalk and working away over the winter. The buzz and thrill I got from riding the Derby winner this

 year was fantastic and it would be great to experience it again. I don't know if it will ever be the Derby again but 

when you are in Ballydoyle you have them (Group 1) chances."

Shady Operator justified odds-on favouritism in the opener at Cork, the Paddy Power Betting Shops Maiden Hurdle.

Successful on debut in a bumper at Limerick in March, the Joseph O'Brien trained gelding since finished second

 to Cracking Smart on his debut over flights at Punchestown last month.

Expected to go one place better here, the son of Court Cave was sent off the 4/5 market leader with Barry 

Geraghty in the saddle.

Settled behind the leaders, the JP McManus owned gelding improved into a closer third on the entrance to the 

straight.

He came with his challenge from the second last, and led before the final flight, drawing clear on the run-in to score

 by a comfortable three and a half lengths.

The winning rider said afterwards: "It was a weaker race than at Punchestown the last day and he's a grand horse.

"He did it well and gave me a good ride and while it is a big step from maiden to graded company, you'd hope he 

could make the step up."

"Joseph gets here on Monday to put the polish on but I think the team are very happy

 with both Rekindling and US Army Ranger," Williams commented. "There is no doubt

 that Joseph will be one of the leading trainers in the world. What he has done in his 

first two seasons training is extraordinary. He really is a chip off the old block."

Being a three-year-old, Rekindling faces a tough task but certainly impressed with his 

work on Wednesday morning. "I think if you have the right three-year-old, which he 

looks to be to me, I think it is a great race for them," Williams told the Herald. "His Irish

 and English form looks terrific to me, he has beaten the older horses and he ran very

 well in the English St Leger and we are hopeful.

"If US Army Ranger came back to his best he would look very well handicapped. 

Joseph has been working hard to keep him happy and he looks to be very happy and 

well here.

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