Russell steers first winner for O'Brien's Aidan O'Brien and son Joseph enjoyed a famous win in Thursday's Triumph Hurdle with Ivanoich Gorbatov's and the pair combined successfully with jockey Davy Russell for the first time at Gowran today, winning the Richie Hogan & Iverk Produce Mares Beginners Chase with Whisper Rock. Russell, himself successful twice at the Cheltenham Festival this week, had ridden for Aidan O'Brien just one previously and today took full advantage of his second opportunity when steering Whisper Rock to a well timed winning ride. The younger O'Brien runs the O'Brien 'jumping division' but officially must wait until he completes a trainers' course in May to become the official license holder. Following today's win, Joseph stated “she’s a lovely big mare and jumped very well. “It’s nice to get her off the mark over fences and, being by Presenting, she should be better on better ground. “It would be great to get her some black type. We have her about four or five months, and she had some leg trouble before that.” By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee
