Aidan O'Brien's daughter wins as owner at track where she suffered career-ending injury
The daughter of Aidan O'Brien celebrated her first success as a racehorse owner at the track where her promising riding career ended.
Ana O'Brien, 29, followed brothers Joseph and Donnacha into careers as jockeys and partnered her first winner for her father as a 16-year-old in 2013. She was leading the Irish apprentice title in 2017, having already ridden 18 winners, when she was seriously injured in a fall at Killarney in July 2017 in which her mount Druids Cross was fatally injured.
She was airlifted to hospital having fractured the C1 vertebra in her neck, T6 in her back and damaged her eye socket, jaw and teeth. She has not ridden in a race since.
Ana has continued to be involved in the O'Brien family's racing operations, having her own runners trained by Joseph and Donnacha, but she had not been successful until Wednesday at the same Killarney meeting where she last rode.
A Boy Named Susie, a son of Starspangledbanner trained by Donnacha, was a 100-30 chance on debut in a 1m maiden for two-year-olds.
The race has an illustrious record of producing future Group 1 winners with this year's Derby victor Lambourn having landed the race last year and Luxembourg and Iridessa also on the roll of honour.
A Boy Named Susie won in the style of an exciting colt when he scored by three lengths and could be on a path to the Group 1 National Stakes.
Donnacha said: 'We thought he was good as he did a really, really good piece of work up the Curragh a few weeks ago.
'This auction race looked a tough ask as he was giving away weight to winners and it is a tough track first time out, but he is obviously just smart.
'For an auction race at Killarney, it has thrown up Iridessa, Luxembourg and last year Lambourn and a few Group Two winners as well, so it's a nice start for him. They hacked and then sprinted, but I think he could be a proper one. He has plenty of gears for a big horse.'
He added: 'It is a better experience for Ana than the last time she was here and that's her first winner as an owner as well.'
Ana said: 'I've been waiting a little while so it was nice to get one. It was my first runner for Donnacha and first winner.
"In fairness Donnacha always liked this horse and I'm delighted he came out and did that. It's my first time back here since my fall, so thankfully this is a much better day.'
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