Racing: O'Brien on his own

VINCENT O'BRIEN'S 24-year-old son, Charles, is to set up as a trainer in his own right next season. He has been assistant to his father at Ballydoyle for the last three years.

Charles, O'Brien's younger son, is to rent the 25-box Ridge Manor Stables on The Curragh and has been buying yearlings at both Newmarket last week and Goffs in Kildare this week. O'Brien and his father were underbidders when Salsabil's full-brother was knocked down to Hamdan Al Maktoum for IR560,000 guineas on Tuesday.

O'Brien, who recently married, is still likely to succeed his father, now 75, when the most successful trainer of the modern era eventually decides to retire. 'Moving to The Curragh is not a long-term plan. There is nothing permanent about it,' he said. 'I have my father's full support in making the move and he will be giving me a few horses to train.'

O'Brien's other son, David, relinquished his training licence in 1988 despite spectacular success with Secreto in the 1984 Derby and Assert in the Irish and French Derbys and Benson & Hedges Gold Cup of 1982.