Joseph O'Brien: Banbridge heads my Cheltenham team

has admitted his legendary Flat racing trainer father Aidan could be tempted by a return to training jumps horses - but not just yet. 

O'Brien senior, the master of Ballydoyle, is well known for his exploits on the Flat but he was also the trainer of legendary hurdler Istabraq, who won three Champion Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.

Son Joseph is a dual-purpose trainer with horses on the Flat and over the Jumps and, speaking to , revealed one day his dad may well return again to running jumpers.

O'Brien Jr said: "Both mum and dad were both National Hunt trainers in Ireland at different times, so National Hunt is really in our blood and that’s why we’ll continue to have a presence in National Hunt racing.

“I don’t know if he’ll come back to have a go at Willie - I’m sure he’d love to have some National Hunt horses in the future but I don’t think that’s on the horizon right now.”

The 30-year-old trainer is also looking ahead to the Cheltenham Festival, with his team set to be headed by

Banbridge

in the Ryanair, while he also has entered in the Stayers' Hurdle at a Festival that the O'Brien says is the best racing spectacle of year.

O'Brien added: "In recent seasons, we’ve been concentrating more on our Flat horses and, as a result, we don’t have as many jumps horses training at the moment. 

“We still have a select few nice horses for Cheltenham, and that team will be headed up mainly by Banbridge who has been one of our flag bearers in recent times.

“Home By The Lee is intended to run in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Nurburgring will run in the Triumph Hurdle.

“Lark In The Mornin will either run in the Triumph or the Fred Winter. We’ve got a couple more handicappers, with a horse called Solness who will run in a handicap and Busselton who will go in one of the handicaps as well.”

"Cheltenham is one of the best racing spectacles of the year – it’s been called the Olympics of horse racing many times and that’s really what it is.

“Whether we’re competing there or not, Cheltenham is a week we look forward to every year. I would absolutely go there even if I didn’t have any runners.

“The attendance is huge every year and the atmosphere is fantastic every day, with top-class racing and it’s a special event.”