John Oxx recalls how Orchestra gave him his first win as a trainer 40 years ago

Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of John Oxx sending out his first winner in his first year as a trainer after taking over the reins at Currabeg Stables on the Curragh from his father, John.

The venue was Phoenix Park racecourse. The race involved was the Rank Cup and the horse who got Oxx off the mark as a trainer was Orchestra, a five-year-old who had already achieved plenty in his career.

Trained by Oxx snr, Orchestra, a son of Tudor Music, had won the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old. At three he won what is now the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown and finished fourth behind The Minstrel in the Irish Derby and second to Transworld in the Irish St Leger. At four he won the John Porter Stakes at Newbury.

Recalling that victory on March 31, 1979, Oxx said: "To train a winner so early in my career made it a very special day.

Sinndar: won the Arc for John Oxx in 2000Credit: Edward Whitaker

"Orchestra was owned by Lord Donoughmore, a lovely man whom my father had trained for for many years. The horse had three good seasons before I took over the licence, so we knew we had a good one to go to war with in the Rank Cup where he beat a good horse of Paddy Prendergast's called Icelandic.

"As well as being my first winner he went on to become my first Group winner when he won the Group 3 Whitehall Stakes, also at Phoenix Park, in September of the same year. It was a privilege to train him for Lord Donoughmore.

"Orchestra was a big, good-looking horse with a lovely temperament and he went on to be a successful National Hunt stallion, standing at Boardsmill Stud and siring many winners, most notably Dorans Pride."

Raymond Carroll, associated with the Oxx yard for many years and now a member of Dermot Weld's backroom team, was Orchestra's regular jockey during his career.

"Orchestra was a smashing looking horse. You couldn't fault him. He was very honest and very consistent throughout his career and was probably unlucky not to have won a Group 1. It was no surprise when he went on to be a successful sire," Carroll recalled.

Significant years in John Oxx's career

1979 Trained his first winner when Orchestra won the Rank Cup at Phoenix Park 40 years ago. The same horse provided him with his first Group-race success when landing the Group 3 Whitehall Stakes, also at Phoenix Park, later that year.

1987 Achieved his first Group 1 win and the first of 11 Classic victories when landing the Irish St Leger with Eurobird

John Oxx: trained the brilliant Sea The Stars to a faultless campaign in 2009Credit: Edward Whitaker

1995 Won the Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park with Ridgewood Pearl, who was scoring at the top level for the fourth time.

2000 Trained Sinndar to record a historic treble by landing the Derby, the Irish Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

2009 Won six consecutive Group 1 races with Sea The Stars who gave him a second Arc win following victories in the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby, the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes. Alandi's success in the Prix du Cadran on Arc day was Oxx's 35th Group 1 success.

Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with Raceday Live - our up-to-the-minute service on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app