Aidan O'Brien

Making it a quickfire double on The Curragh's Saturday card for the lethal combination of Aidan O'Brien, Ryan Moore and Wootton Bassett, Beautify ended the unbeaten run of Lady Iman (Starman) in a demanding renewal of the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes. "Ryan was very impressed. He said he'd love to go up to seven with her, that's a very good sign when you hear him talking like that," the Ballydoyle handler said. "Obviously she's a Moyglare-type filly when Ryan says that, but obviously gets six very strong and travelled very...

Such is the record of The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Maiden, it is a given that Aidan O'Brien reserves one of his best for the seven-furlong contest and Dorset lived up to the billing to become Wootton Bassett's latest TDN Rising Star. "He's a lovely straighforward horse who will get further," commented O'Brien, who had won this race with City Of Troy, Rip Van Winkle, Gleneagles, Roderic O'Connor, Duke Of Marmalade, Horatio Nelson and Australia. "Ryan gave him an uncomplicated ride and he's a good mover who could go for any of those races--the...

2nd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-27, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.43, gd. COMPOSING (IRE) (f, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--Epona Plays {Ire} {MGSW-Ire, $208,285}, by Australia {GB}), the subject of support into 3-1 second favouritism, was up in the front line from the outset in this maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria. Pressed by Cape Sounion (No Nay Never) inside the final two furlongs, the first foal out of the Group 2-winning dam stayed on to score by 3/4 of a length. "She's a filly that will get further, she's uncomplicated," Aidan...

Coolmore's Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) will renew rivalry with Epsom second and third, Lazy Griff (Protectionist) and Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett), and heads a field of 10 declared runners for Sunday's €1.25-million G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. He is one of five contenders set to represent Aidan O'Brien and has been allocated stall five. Lazy Griff is alongside in four while Tennessee Stud is on the wing in stall 10. The Ralph Beckett-conditioned G2 Dante Stakes winner Pride Of Arras (New Bay) is the only other Epsom runner backing...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a Ballydoyle juvenile in what is traditionally an informative maiden. 5.20 The Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT MINERVA (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) bids to build on her debut third at Leopardstown earlier this month in the maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria and...

Storm Boy, a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, is set to join the Coolmore Australia roster in 2025, it was announced on Tuesday. He has been introduced at a fee of A$16,500 (inc GST). The son of Justify was bought by Coolmore and a group of their friends and clients for an undisclosed sum after he made it three from three as a juvenile in the Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. On his next start he won the G2 Skyline Stakes,...

Connections of Derby runner-up Lazy Griff will make a late decision regarding his participation in Sunday's Irish equivalent, with his attempt to go one place better hinging on how much rain falls at the Curragh in the coming days. Trained by Charlie Johnston, 50/1 shot Lazy Griff provided his Middleham Park Racing owners with a huge thrill when finishing second at Epsom, faring best of the rest behind Lambourn (Australia) for the second consecutive start after they also filled the first two places in the previous month's G3 Chester Vase....

The Coolmore partners were named the leading owners at Royal Ascot for the third consecutive year and sixth in total, as the five-day stand wrapped up on Saturday. Although they had five victories--the same as runner-up Wathnan Racing--they claimed their latest title by virtue of a countback of placed horses. For Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Westerberg, Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), True Love (No Nay Never), and Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) took the G2 Coventry Stakes, G2 Queen Mary Stakes, and G2 Norfolk Stakes, respectively. Garden Of Eden (Saxon...

Bouncing out of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, Ballydoyle's Trinity College (Dubawi) made all to turn Thursday's G3 Hampton Court Stakes into a procession. Sent off the 5-2 favourite having been fourth in that Chantilly Classic, the son of the 1,000 Guineas heroine Hermosa (Galileo) was placed on the front end from the outset and had plenty left when asked to kick in the straight by Ryan Moore. Surging to the line to record a 3 1/2-length success from the 2,000 Guineas fourth Tornado Alert (Too Darn Hot), he...

A good day for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore at Royal Ascot became a whole lot better when Garden Of Eden (Saxon Warrior) ran out an authoritative winner of the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes - the middle leg of a memorable Thursday treble. Stepping up to 1m4f for the first time, Garden Of Eden relished the red-hot pace that was set by stablemate Island Hopping (Wootton Bassett). When that rival predictably dropped away entering the straight, it developed into test of who stayed best, with O'Brien's runner overcoming any stamina doubts...

Making it a clean sweep for Ballydoyle of Royal Ascot's two-year-old Group races so far this week, Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) dominated the G2 Norfolk Stakes with a powerful display. Sent off the 8-13 favourite coming off three starts and two wins in his native Ireland, the full-brother to Blackbeard was quickest away and soon in command under Ryan Moore. Challenged and briefly headed by the US raider Sandal's Song (Mendelssohn) heading to the final furlong, the bay had extra in the tank to pull away and score by 2...

Coolmore's twice-raced maiden True Love (No Nay Never) went down fighting when runner-up to G2 Coventry-winning stablemate Gstaad in the second of two starts last month and, hammered down to clear favourite for Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary Stakes, duly delivered a first renewal for Aidan O'Brien. She also restored family honour in the five-furlong dash and eclipsed her sister Truly Enchanting's 13th last year. The race was marred by the fatal injury to the Richard Hannon-trained Harry's Girl (Harry's Angel). True Love broke swiftly from stall 25 of 25 and...