O'Brien upbeat despite Dysart Enos disappointment

After her previously undefeated bumper career, the six-year-old filly made her return to the racetrack in January, where she claimed her third consecutive hurdles victory.

That form saw her regarded as a favourite for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but an injury cast doubt before the ground forced her to withdraw from the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Although O’Brien didn’t hide his disappointment, he was feeling upbeat about her most recent performance.

“Initially I suppose we were a bit disappointed, but if you look at the way the race was run we should probably be very happy,” he said.

“She ran better than her mark, she might not have been as well handicapped as we thought, but she was still well handicapped on all known form.

“The winner has had a good Flat campaign since July and we’ve been off for 10 months. He beat us three and a half lengths and gave us 2lb and that (translates to) five and a half lengths.

“In a graded race we would be getting 7lb from him, I think on the whole it was a very good run and we’d have to be pleased.

“She’ll improve a bit, we’d done plenty of work with her but I was over the moon with her jumping.

“That was my one worry going into it, I didn’t know if it would find her out but she was absolutely superb and the way she travelled in the race was fantastic.”

“There were a lot of positives to build on, but unfortunately there isn’t a great mares’ programme over two miles.

“She’ll probably go to Ascot in December, there’s a good handicap race there, then there’s a conditions race in January back at Ascot. That would be the plan at the minute.”