Speed Derby: Cian O'Connor rose to demigod status at the Horse Show last year, and he was back on the pedestal again yesterday afternoon after tipping himself to win the Speed Derby and then fulfilling his predictions by lifting the €5,400 winner's purse.
The Co Kildare jockey, still only 23, has more mileage under his belt than many of his elders. Winning is all-important and that killer instinct is what has the rider - dubbed "Ciano" in Ballsbridge 12 months ago - at the head of so many line-ups.
Teamed up with the flying machine ABC Landliebe, O'Connor was drawn two-thirds of the way down the field yesterday and had Lieut David O'Brien's early target of a clear in 74.44 seconds with Lismore Clover to beat. With the mare on turbo-charge, O'Connor found the racing line round every one of Linda Allen's 14 fences and, with a leap at the last that would have cleared Becher's Brook, was home clear in an unbeatable 71.34.
"She won speed classes at La Baule and St Gallen for me," O'Connor said of the nine-year-old German mare that he bought through Ciarán Howley in January of last year. "Everywhere you go with her, you can pick up a bit of money."
The Irish were picking up most of the money yesterday. O'Connor was followed home by Conor Swail with his winner from Wednesday, Windgates Mystique. Lieut David O'Brien was next in the line-up - third with another mare, the daughter of top show jumping sire Clover Hill, Lismore Clover.
But there had been an even more impressive Irish whitewash in the earlier Power And Speed, with Billy Twomey putting in a round almost as scorching as the day. He won on Anastasia by less than a second from Kerrygold league leader Harry Marshall with Splendido.
Marion Hughes with LB Galileo, Lieut Shane Carey on Killossery, and Clement McMahon with his Hamina Grand Prix winner, Hermes de Reve, completed the Irish blockade of the top five placings, letting the opposition know that the home side will be the ones to beat this afternoon when the Nations Cup chips are down.
O'Connor tipped himself to win yesterday and claims the Irish will be out in front of the President's box after today's team decider. The bookies are in agreement, with Paddy Power quoting Ireland as 7/4 favourites this afternoon. The French are not too far adrift on 9/4, with the British third-favourites at 5/2.
O'Connor jumps second this afternoon after Robert Splaine, with Billy Twomey third, and Kevin Babington, so often put in as pathfinder, now in the all-important number four berth. If O'Connor's predictions of victory continue to come true, his demigod status must be in jeopardy. Promotion to a straight deity must surely be in order.
