Joseph O'Brien has no intention of 'killing himself' to reach unnatural racing weight

Joseph O'Brien will decide whether to continue as a jockey next year in the Spring but says has no intention of 'killing himself' over the winter to squeeze his frame to an unnatural racing weight.

A glimpse of the future was possibly played out here in Keeneland as the 22-year-old acted as spokesman for his trainer father Aidan, talking through Breeders' Cup chances of the stable's seven runners.

O'Brien snr has made no secret of his son's involvement in the training of Classic contender Gleneagles this season. Joseph will also train a handful of point-to-pointer from his father's old Piltown base this winter.

Jockey Joseph O'Brien will decide in the spring whether he will continue to ride as he battles with his weight

Joseph has been helping father Aidan train Gleneagles this season and also has some point-to-pointers

Earlier in the year, it looked as if Joseph's weight challenges would mean his Flat riding days were over and he even rode over hurdles as he shed pounds. But he still ended up having almost 250 rides and 51 winners.

The dual Irish champion jockey, successful on St Nicholas Abbey in the 2011 Breeder' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs, said: 'I can't ride forever and I never thought that I would do.

'I would hope to ride next year but honestly don't know. Nine stone was tough at the end of this season. I don't know if I will be doing that next season.

'I used to weigh myself every day but I am not going to put myself under pressure all winter watching my weight. I am not going to kill myself worrying about it. I will see how I am going in February.'

Joseph was beaten less than half a length by Mucho Macho Man on his father's Declaration of War in the 2013 Classic.

Dual 2,000 Guineas winner Gleneagles, sixth in the QEII Stakes at Ascot, is O' Brien snr's 14th shot at the $5million race while Gleneagles' uncle Giant's Causeway was narrowly beaten by Tiznow in 2000.

Joseph acted as spokesman for his trainer father, talking through Breeders' Cup chances ahead of the action

Belmont winner American Pharaoh is odds-on favourite to win the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland 

BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC ODDS 

CORAL: 5/6 American Pharoah, 7 Honor Code, Tonalist, 10 Gleneagles, 12 Keen Ice, Smooth Roller, 50 Effinex, 66 Hard Aces

Joseph, who will watch Ryan Moore take the mount, admits Gleneagles faces a tough ask against US ace American Pharaoh, although the field has been weakened with second favourite Beholder scratched.

Joseph said: 'As far as handling the Dirt, Ryan will know after a couple of furlongs. It is a shot into the dark. If he is happy after half a mile, he is in with a shout.'

There appears far greater confidence in the two O'Brien-trained two-year-olds, Hit It A Bomb and, particularly, Alice Springs in the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies' Turf respectively.

Meanwhile, John Gosden has given Arc and Derby winner Golden Horn the go-ahead to run in the Turf after inspecting the ran-pummelled track.

He said: 'We plan to run but could have done without the rain.'