Donal Murphy
MacBride completes his bumper hat-trick
MacBride and Sarah O'Brien pictured on their way to victory
© Photo Healy Racing
MacBride made it an across the card double for Aidan O’Brien (won with Toogoodtobetrue at the Curragh) as he took the bumper at Tipperary, the Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Flat Race.
Ridden by Sarah O’Brien the son of Oscar went off the 3/10 favourite having won his last two bumpers at Limerick and Cork.
Settled in second behind Dubh Eile the JP McManus owned gelding improved to lead four furlongs out and he went on from there.
He was pushed along in the early straight but the whip was never drawn as he stretched clear to win easily by fourteen lengths. Notorious Villain kept on to take second at 16/1 for Michael Mulvany, while Dubh Eile (9/2) completed the placings a further three and a quarter lengths back in third under Philip O’Donnell for his father Kevin.
Aidan O’Brien, who was in the Curragh earlier this afternoon, said afterwards: “I’m delighted with that. He is ready to go jumping whenever.
"Obviously we’ll have to discuss it with Frank and JP but he is ready to go. He jumps well at home."
He went on the talk about his Oaks runners saying: "The delay mightn’t have suited Joseph’s filly and her saddle slipped coming out of the stalls but that’s not to take away from the winner. They have all come out of the race grand."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes