Andrew Bobbin lands Brierly Steeplechase as he quickly establishes himself as a successful jumps trainer

Andrew Bobbin didn’t know the difference between a hurdle and a steeple, but he has added another major jumps success at the Warrnambool carnival in the Brierly Steeplechase.

Trainer Andrew Bobbin gives a thumbs up after winning the Brierly Steeplechase with Duke Of Bedford at Warrnambool on Tuesday. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“When I started as a racehorse trainer, I didn’t know the difference between a hurdle and a steeple.”

Andrew Bobbin only started training less than five years ago so he has quickly learned, judging by Duke Of Bedford’s determined Brierly Steeplechase win at Warrnambool.

As a former NRL player with St George Illawarra in Sydney, Bobbin wasn’t a regular viewer of jumps racing, which was last held in NSW in 1992.

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But Bobbin soon realised he could train jumpers and stayers at his property near Stawell in western Victoria.

“It started with a horse called Mighty Oasis,” Bobbin said.

“We had a few logs and popped him over them and we thought, ‘what do you know? He might be able to jump’.

“So we started a new facet of training and something in which we have found a niche.”

Mighty Oasis went on two win two hurdle races at the Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool in 2023.

Warrnambool gave Bobbin his richest win when Irishman William McCarthy steered Duke Of Bedford to his Brierly Steeplechase triumph.

It's all Duke Of Bedford in the Scotty Stewart Brierly Steeplechase 😍@[e-mail]/GaIAMEzwrF

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Bobbin was looking for a rider for Duke Of Bedford late last week before taking a punt on McCarthy, who was on his second day back from surgery to reattach shoulder tendons.

McCarthy’s record at Warrnambool convinced Bobbin to give the rider a chance for a rich payday early in his comeback from 10 months away from racing.

McCarthy’s confidence was high after winning the first race of the day on the Ciaron Maher-trained Through Irish Eyes.

Bobbin hailed McCarthy’s handling of Duke Of Bedford, who led from the first jump to the last, defying all challenges.

“Willie’s record here at Warrnambool and when the weights came out, I still hadn’t confirmed a rider,” Bobbin said.

“Tommy Ryan has done so much work on this horse and Will Gordon’s done the most work on this horse but just the way the cards fell today, Willie got the job.

“There’s none better than Willie around this circuit and I was bloody glad that Willie was on when the pressure was on.”

Duke Of Bedford clears a steeple on his way to winning the Brierly Steeplechase. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Duke Of Bedford ($4.40) prevailed over the local hope, the Symon Wilde-trained Freddy The Eagle ($7.50) while the $11 chance Instigator was third.

Punters at Warrnambool gasped when the $3.30 favourite Leaderboard fell following a faulty step after jumping the first of the Tozer Road double.

Leaderboard was quickly to his feet but is unlikely to be cleared to run in Thursday’s Grand Annual Steeplechase.

Jockey Will Gordon arrived back at scale with blood-spattered silks but was later cleared of a broken nose.

Bobbin said he would take as long as allowed to decide whether Duke Of Bedford backed up in the Grand Annual Steeplechase.

“We’ll see how the field holds up and at 7.28am on Thursday morning, I’ll still be scratching my head,” Bobbin said.

“I might even toss a coin.”

Originally published as Andrew Bobbin lands Brierly Steeplechase as he quickly establishes himself as a successful jumps trainer