Joseph O'Brien (17 February 2026): "He ran a huge race in the King George VI Chase, and we were very proud of him. Everyone knows at this stage that he has a notable preference for better ground. We’ll keep him entered for the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup, but it will be a late, ground-based decision that will dictate where he goes. If the ground isn’t right, we would be more than happy to wait for Aintree with him."
Joseph O'Brien (22 December 2025): "He is all set to defend his crown in the King George VI Chase at Kempton. His win in the race last year gave us all a massive thrill and it will be great to get him back there. Going back up in trip is going to be a big help to him and as everyone knows at this stage, the better the ground, the better his chance. He has only had one run going into the race this year compared to two last year, but he seems to be in great shape. There’s no doubt that this year’s race looks to be stronger than last year’s renewal on paper, but if he can produce an effort that is comparable to what he did in it last year, he should be good and competitive. We are going to put a visor on him for the first time, and we think that will be a help to him."
Joseph O'Brien (11 February 2025): "We’ve been delighted with Banbridge since the King George. Everyone knows at this stage that he has a big preference for better ground, so we’ll leave all options open for Cheltenham just in case there is changeable weather that week. That said, if all things were equal and the ground was right for him all week, the Gold Cup is the one we’d really like to run in. In terms of his stamina for the longer trip, it isn’t something I’m concerned about. If we get unlucky and the ground was too soft for him at Cheltenham, we’d look to go to Aintree with him instead. He seems to be getting better and hopefully we haven’t found his ceiling yet."
