Eighteen-year-old Irish eventer Molly O’Connor has begun riding the experienced five-star horse Barrichello, a 17-year-old British-bred gelding previously partnered by top riders including William Fox-Pitt and Cathal Daniels. The pair made their debut together last week at Thoresby, finishing 13th in the open novice. O’Connor, based at Nicola Wilson’s Yorkshire yard, plans to compete Barrichello alongside her own horse toward a first four-star event later this year.
Molly O’Connor took over Barrichello about three weeks ago, thanks to owner Sarah Hughes, who has supported the young rider for the past three years. Hughes previously loaned O’Connor the four-star horse Alcatraz, now ridden by 16-year-old Isadora Turner, and has now provided the six-year-old Lisbrogan Sarco as well as Barrichello. O’Connor described the horse as 'so cool and easy to get along with,' noting he 'knows everything and is teaching me where I need to put my legs and what cues to give him.' He is a 'sweetheart in the stable,' she added to Horse & Hound. Barrichello has a strong record, including a run at Badminton Horse Trials in 2022 with Cathal Daniels, completion of Pau Horse Trials in 2023 with Joseph Murphy, and a win in a CCI4*-S at Lisgarvan at the end of last season with Daniels. The gelding, sired by Balou Du Rouet, joins O’Connor's own three-star mount Stillbrook Aoife to help build toward her first four-star outing by year's end. In their first outing together at Thoresby last week, the partnership scored 34.5 in dressage, had one showjumping fault, and incurred 2.4 time faults across country, placing 13th. 'I had only jumped him a handful of times and he put up with my long distances and was just class,' O’Connor said. 'He wants to work and do right and really wants to please.' Next, they will tackle the intermediate novice at Breckenbrough on 8-9 April, with plans to advance to intermediate level soon after. O’Connor has been training at Nicola Wilson’s Yorkshire yard for just over a month and intends to stay until mid- or end-May before returning to her family home in Co Down, calling the opportunity 'unreal.'
