Aidan O'Brien
Making it win number 18 for Aidan O'Brien in Saturday's G2 Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) dominated the Curragh contest from start to finish to stake his Classic claims for 2026. Sent on by Wayne Lordan, the 5-6 favourite who had followed an encouraging debut second at Newmarket with a win at Galway turned it on two out to dismiss Geryon (Lope De Vega) by two lengths. "He's a lovely colt and was good and professional," Lordan said of the stable's...
Having won the Oaks and Irish Oaks, Minnie Hauk (Frankel) completed the heralded treble on Thursday in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks with the minimum of fuss. Held up behind as Wayne Lordan set the tempo on the Ribblesdale winner Garden Of Eden (Saxon Warrior), the 8-15 favourite moved up to take control two out and draw away from her main rival Estrange (Night Of Thunder) for a resounding 3 1/2-length success. "She's very straightforward and professional and does everything very smooth," Ryan Moore said of the winner, who also won the...
Coolmore's G1 Eclipse hero Delacroix (Dubawi) will renew rivalry with Godolphin's Sandown runner-up Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and is one of six runners booked for Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York after three of nine overnight contenders were scratched from the extended 10-furlong contest at Monday morning's declaration stage. The former will attempt to provide Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending eighth renewal from stall three, while Ombudsman bids to regain the winning thread from stall five. Godolphin is also represented by the Andre Fabre-trained £85,000 supplementary entry Birr Castle...
Providing instant justification and reward for the investment by Sam Sangster Bloodstock, Ballydoyle's Diego Velazquez (Frankel) edged a thriller from Notable Speech (Dubawi) in Sunday's G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Always happy playing a prominent role away from the fence under Christophe Soumillon, the 12-1 shot stayed on to wrest the lead from Dancing Gemini (Camelot) with 100 metres remaining and found the line a head in front of the fast-closing Godolphin runner, who was 3/4 of a length behind in third. "He's always...
Smart juvenile Lady Iman was supplemented for the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on August 22. She is the first 2-year-old to be supplemented for the York sprint since Kingsgate Native (Mujadil) in 2007. Supplemented by her connections at a cost of £40,000, the G3 Molecomb Stakes heroine is one of 19 set to take part as of Saturday. Trained by Ger Lyons, the bay will be ridden by noted lightweight rider Joe Fanning. Joining the daughter of Starman is the fellow 2-year-old filly and supplement Spicy Marg (Starspanglebanner),...
5th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:38.02, st. PIERRE BONNARD (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}--Sultanina {GB} {G1SW-Eng, $303,395}, by New Approach {Ire}), one place behind the yard's subsequent TDN Rising Star Montreal when fourth on debut at Leopardstown last month, raced in front of the main pack behind the clear early leader. In front approaching the final furlong, the 6-5 favourite stayed on strongly to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Shaihaan (Night Of Thunder). "He's a lovely horse," Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong said of the son of the...
Former Irish Champion Flat Jockey and two-time Classic-winning rider Tommy Murphy died at a hospital in Cashel on Wednesday. A rider and later an assistant trainer to the late Vincent O'Brien, he was 88. Murphy rode his first winner in 1954 in Ireland and spent six years riding in England before beginning a 10-year stint with Clem Magnier in Co Meath. Successful twice in the Galway Hurdle and also at the Cheltenham Festival, he joined O'Brien's stable in 1974. His brace of Classic scorers were in 1977--Lady Capulet (Sir Ivor)...
DEAUVILLE, FRANCE - Pound for pound, Camas Park Stud has produced the goods like no other consignment at the Arqana August Sale in recent years. Queen Mary third Balantina (Ten Sovereigns), Saratoga Oaks runner-up Evershed (Churchill) and genuine Derby hope Isaac Newton (Camelot) are just some of the August Sale graduates that have been strutting their stuff on the track this year alone for an outfit that sold the 2022 European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear on this sale ground. Put simply, few people run a tighter ship than Tim...
Dual Group 1 winner Camille Pissarro has been retired after he suffered an injury at Sandown last month when finishing fourth in the G1 Coral-Eclipse. "Camille Pissarro pulled a shoe at Sandown and was quite sore afterwards," said trainer Aidan O'Brien in a press release issued by Coolmore. "We had him X-rayed and a fissure fracture was found in his fetlock. The decision was then made to retire him. "Camille Pissarro was an extremely classy colt; he had speed and class. He won the Lagardere on Arc weekend last year...
The multiple Group 2 winner Diego Velazquez is set to take up stallion duties at the National Stud in 2026, following his purchase by Sam Sangster Bloodstock on behalf of a syndicate. The son of Frankel will continue his racing career in the care of trainer Aidan O'Brien but will run in the renowned Sangster silks for the remainder of the 2025 season. Last seen winning the G2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh, Diego Velazquez is set to make his next appearance in Sunday's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at...
Now that the summer is high, St Mark's Basilica's stud career is readying for take-off and Saturday saw Coolmore's freshman have his first TDN Rising Star in Ballydoyle's exciting Diamond Necklace. Partnered by Wayne Lordan in The Curragh's Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race, the half-sister to Magic Wand (Galileo) and Chicquita (Montjeu) who was the €1.7million Arqana Deauville August topper swooped on Ryan Moore's pick Minerva (Frankel) inside the final furlong for a smooth 1 1/2-length success. "She'd been working lovely and is very exciting for next...
One of those Ballydoyle juveniles who can make giant strides from start one to two, Montreal (Sea The Stars) looked every inch a 2026 Derby prospect as he stormed to an eight-length maiden success at Leopardstown on Thursday. Always happy on the front end under Wayne Lordan, the 6-4 favourite who had been third over this mile trip and track last month set sail in the straight to put healthy daylight between him and the Jessica Harrington-trained Strikewhileitshot (Too Darn Hot). "They went steady the last day and Ryan said...











