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Family affair for the O'Brien's at Wexford

Joseph O'Brien and his sisters Sarah and Ana all rode winners for their father Aidan
Joseph O'Brien and his sisters Sarah and Ana all rode winners for their father Aidan

The O'Brien family dominated proceedings at Wexford on Saturday with trainer Aidan saddling three winners, with his son and two daughters taking the mounts.

Joseph O'Brien got the ball rolling as Los Barbados (9-4 F) landed the Follow Wexford Racecourse On Facebook Maiden while his sister Ana then steered Udogo (9-2) to victory in the first division of the Wexford Handicap.

Sarah O'Brien then teamed up with Kalopsia (13-8) to win the closing Enniscorthy Mares INH Flat Race meaning brother Donnacha was the only sibling not to have a winner after he had been narrowly denied aboard Cocoon by Fran Berry on Manny Owens  in the Children's Day At Bettyville Handicap.

Joseph O'Brien said: "It was a bit of sickener for Donnacha to be the only one of us not to have a winner.
"We will pay for dinner for him on the way home to make it fair!

"The horses are running well and long may it last.

"It's brilliant that all of us are riding. We all walked the track before racing and everyone knows what they are doing and we all do our best."

Meanwhile, smart hurdler Gambling Girl trounced her opponents in the Audrey McGrath Memorial (QR) Race at Wexford.

Jessie Harrington's six-year-old has lost her way over hurdles, but appears in fine fettle on the level and was sent off the 2-1 favourite.

She took the lead off Sierra Sun inside the final two furlongs and never looked back, with Kate Harrington not having to get too busy in the saddle to triumph by six and a half lengths.

Catalyst gained a deserved success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden - but only just.

The 13-8 market leader had been placed on each of her six previous starts and looked like ending that sequence in emphatic fashion when shooting clear halfway down the straight, but Alveena emerged from the pack and gave favourite-backers a real scare, only to fail by a nose.

The Tom McCourt-trained Crown Pleasure was a 19-race maiden heading into the second division Wexford Handicap but stuck her neck out to break her duck at 10-1.

Santo Prince (16-1) showed his appreciation for the return to the level by landing the Boolavogue Handicap.
 

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