Joseph O’Brien’s Irish Gold Cup winner Edwulf reported to have come out of his Grade 1 win in good form
JOSEPH O'BRIEN reports Edwulf has come out of his Irish Gold Cup win in great form.
O'Brien's nine-year-old was a shock 33-1 winner of the Grade 1 contest on Sunday, and was lucky to even be alive after collapsing at Cheltenham last year.
"Edwulf is very good, thankfully," O'Brien told Press Association Sport.
"It was extraordinary what the vets did to help him at Cheltenham and the lads in the yard, they all deserve a huge amount of credit.
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"There was never a plan. All the time we were just going to see how he was all along, but there was no plan to do anything with him.
"He looked very well and seemed in very good form, but even when he came back into training, it wasn't a certainty that he was going to even run again.
"It was literally just step by step all the way and he kept ticking all the boxes.
"All his work was good, he was in great form so we had no reason not to run him.
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"We weren't thinking of winning a Grade 1, we just wanted to get him back racing as he was a lightly-raced horse.
"It would have been a shame to have him stood in a field for the rest of his life when he could have been doing what he loves to do.
"It was a wonderful day, but it really is a credit to everyone who has worked with him along the way.
"Derek (O'Connor) gave him a wonderful ride. He believed in the horse and has a great association with him.
"I'll have to talk to JP and Frank (Berry, racing manager) and see what they say, but I'd love Derek to ride him if he goes to the Gold Cup, anyhow."