Champion Irish Duo Target Saudi Turf Riches

JOSEPH O’BRIEN AND DYLAN BROWNE MCMONAGLE COMBINE

Image: Irish Champion Jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle. Credit JCSA

By any standards Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle can be considered to have reached elite levels of their profession at a youthful age, and the potent partnership will team up in the two feature turf races on The Saudi Cup undercard at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday February 14.

O’Brien, a champion jockey before he turned to being a multiple Group 1-winning trainer, is still only 32, while 10 years his junior is Browne McMonagle, who was crowned Champion Jockey in Ireland for the first time last year.

And O’Brien has a top-class team assembled with Galen (GB) heading for the G1 Neom Turf Cup presented by HOWDEN and a trio of runners being aimed at the G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap presented by Longines.

“These are races we targeted before, it is top-class international racing and they are competitive races with great prize money,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien and Browne McMonagle have enjoyed notable success together in their native country and also further afield. So far O’Brien has saddled Group 1 winners in six countries, while Browne McMonagle has already tasted elite level success in four different leading racing nations, memorably teaming up with heavyweight trainer Willie Mullins at last year’s Breeders’ Cup with Ethical Diamond (IRE).

Browne McMonagle will jet into Riyadh from Hong Kong where he has been among the winners lately and making a name as a rising star on the global stage. After competing in the International Jockeys’ Challenge on the eve of the Saudi Cup card, Browne McMonagle will steer live contender Galen for his mentor in the Neom Turf Cup.

Adding Group 1 honours in Saudi Arabia with Galen would bring its own history for the duo as the USD$3m Neom Turf Cup will be the first G1 race run on turf in the country.

O’Brien will be back in familiar territory next week. He saddled Al Riffa (FR) to minor honours behind Shin Emperor in last year’s Neom Turf Cup, and in 2022 trained Baron Samedi (GB) to be fourth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap.

On this occasion it is the Melbourne Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes (IRE) who leads a trio of his string in the Red Sea, with the JP McManus-owned mare coming close to giving O’Brien an historic third Melbourne Cup, and she will arrive in good company among stablemates for a tilt at the $2.5m prize.

Both Group 3 winner Sons And Lovers (GB) and O’Brien’s Epsom Derby third, Tennessee Stud (IRE) have O’Brien relishing a return to Riyadh with the leading trainer making some notable jockey bookings.

“We are looking forward to competing there. Dylan will fly in to ride in the International Jockeys’ Challenge on Friday and then he will ride Galen in the Neom Turf Cup and Goodie Two Shoes in the Red Sea Handicap on Saturday evening,” O’Brien confirmed.

“James Doyle will ride Sons And Lovers and Ryan Moore will ride Tennessee Stud. All four horses have had a good preparation for this trip and these races and we’re looking forward to seeing them run.”

**ENDS**