Aidan O'Brien

Naas's opening six-furlong fillies' maiden on Monday has a rich recent history and there was a lot to suggest that Ballydoyle's Simply Astounding (Wootton Bassett {GB}) can add another chapter. The fourth foal out of the high-achiever Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 11-8 favourite was out smartly and able to keep close tabs on the leading pair with Ryan Moore enjoying a straightforward trip. In front two out, the homebred drew away along with the well-regarded Cape Sounion (Ire) (No Nay Never) to beat that Donnacha O'Brien-trained rival by 1...

While visually making heavy weather of bringing up a third renewal of Navan's Listed Bar One Racing Vintage Crop Stakes on Saturday, Ballydoyle's stayer supreme Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is back and at this point still in command of this sphere. Those unaccustomed to the way the 7-year-old operates would have found themselves underwhelmed at the way he took a relative age to subdue the drastically overmatched Poetic Sound (Ire) (Poet's Word {Ire}) in this 14-furlong warm-up for the season's Cup races, with even takers of the cramped 1-7 on...

Navan's Saturday card featured a trio of black-type contests, but early focus centred on the €18,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for juveniles, in which Coolmore and Westerberg's Charles Darwin (Ire) (No Nay Never), a full-brother to dual Group 1 winner Blackbeard (Ire), illuminated proceedings with a spectacular 5 1/2-length triumph. Aidan O'Brien had annexed three consecutive renewals of the near-six furlong contest, including with subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) last year, and his 8-11 pick was away sharply to gain immediate control...

Launching his 2025 campaign in Saturday's Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes at Navan, Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Morny hero Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) delivered the ideal start with the yard enjoying a one-two. Exuberant for Ryan Moore as his talented stablemate Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) went forward, Peter Brant's accomplished colour-bearer managed to get past in the final yards for a half-length success with Moyglare's filly Sparkling Sea (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) joining in to be a head further behind. "We thought both horses were just...

Ballydoyle's standard had been hoisted just once in Sandown's G3 bet365 Classic Trial during the Aidan O'Brien era and last term's G3 Tyros Stakes runner-up Swagman (Ger) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) doubled that tally with a determined effort in this year's renewal of the 10-furlong feature. Let go at generous odds of 9-2, the €170,000 BBAG September graduate was the only one of five contenders without a ticket to Epsom's Blue Riband and, coming back off a 274-day sabbatical, stalked the leading duo in third for the most part. Easing outside...

Aidan O'Brien will be attempting to repeat the success of Merchant Navy (Aus) seven years ago as he primes fellow Australian import Storm Boy (Aus) for an assault on Royal Ascot.  The son of Justify won his first four starts at two for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, including the G2 Skyline Stakes over 1,200 metres, and was later third, beaten just over a length, in Australia's premier juvenile contest, the G1 Golden Slipper. As a three-year-old he added the G3 San Domenico Stakes to his list of five wins...

ROSEGREEN, Ireland -- It's that time of year again. The countdown to the Classics. Better than Christmas. And there are few better ways to indulge dreams of what may be about to unfold in the coming weeks than by annoying Aidan O'Brien for a morning at Ballydoyle. He must find it irksome, all these pesky journalists turning up, as surely as the first swallow of spring. But if he does, he hides it well, and almost seems to revel in sharing what he clearly finds the most rewarding part of...

The Coral-Eclipse Stakes, the highlight of Sandown's Flat season, will this year be run for a total prize fund of £1 million, making it the eighth race in Britain to offer prize-money into seven figures and the most valuable ever staged at the Surrey track. Last year's race carried prize-money of £750,000. Sandown Park, part of the Jockey Club's portfolio of racecourses, celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, a year which also sees Coral mark 50 years of sponsorship the Group 1 feature, making it the longest-running Group race sponsorship...

The entries for the Betfred Oaks were released on Tuesday, with 47 fillies in contention for the Classic which is due to take place at Epsom on Friday, June 6. Aidan O'Brien is responsible for no fewer than 16 contenders as he bids for an 11th Oaks success, having won the race seven times since 2012 alone. His formidable squad is headed by the unbeaten Lake Victoria (Ire), who completed a hat-trick of top-level victories as a two-year-old when winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes and Breeders' Cup...

It's going to get a little confusing this year with all these painters coming to the fore. Even more confusingly, Henri Matisse (Ire) and Camille Pissarro (Ire) are both by Wootton Bassett (GB) out of mares by Pivotal (GB), and, unsuprisingly, they are no ordinary mares.  Immortal Verse (Ire), the dual Group 1 winner bought for 4.7 million gns as a five-year-old, had already produced the Group 1 and Group 2 winners Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and Statuette (Justify) before Henri Matisse came along and, from a hard-working and high-scoring juvenile campaign...

Ballydoyle's Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was fully expected to mark his seasonal debut with a win in Sunday's G3 P. W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown and the 4-7 favourite did not disappoint. Always comfortable on the front under Ryan Moore, last year's G3 Autumn Stakes winner and G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up kicked decisively two out to settle matters. At the line, the leading Derby prospect had 2 1/4 lengths to spare over stablemate Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with Tiberius Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths...

Starting his new term having signed off with success in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Ballydoyle's Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) overcame rustiness to capture Sunday's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" Stakes at Leopardstown. Reserved early by Ryan Moore off the pace set by Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), the 6-4 favourite arrived late to collar that rival and the eventual second Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). At the line, there were two half-length margins between the Wootton Bassetts and the non-staying Arizona Blaze. "He wants to...