Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien has revealed that long-time 2,000 Guineas favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is unlikely to make the Newmarket Classic on May 3 and nominated Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) as being the most likely Ballydoyle-trained representatives for the race instead. The news, which was delivered at the annual Ballydoyle press morning, saw Expanded usurp The Lion In Winter as the new 2,000 Guineas favourite at odds of 6-1 while Twain has also shortened into 9-1. "The Lion In...

The entries for the first two British Classics of the season have been released, with 57 horses entered in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas and another 43 in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas. Aidan O'Brien is responsible for eight possible runners as he seeks a record-extending eleventh success in the 2,000 Guineas, which is scheduled to take place at Newmarket on Saturday, May 3. They include the ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old, including the G3 Acomb Stakes...

As the entries for the Betfred Derby were announced on Tuesday, Aidan O'Brien has admitted that it would be no surprise to see another of his colts take a major step forward this spring to rival current favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire), a son of the 2009 Derby winner Sea The Stars (Ire).  "Being realistic, The Lion In Winter won his maiden very nicely and then went and won a Group 3 at York [Acomb Stakes]. They were two very good runs but obviously he was meant to go...

The wait is almost over. With less than a month until the Flat season proper gets underway, what better time to draw up a list of under the radar runners, beginning with Brian Sheerin's nominations from Ireland. From potential Classic contenders to well-handicapped sprinters rated 76, our man in Ireland has put forward 10 horses who will hopefully prove profitable to follow this season. Giselle (Ire) Frankel (GB) filly out of Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) Form: 213 Trainer: Aidan O'Brien Giselle could be one of the most exciting...

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA -- There is almost no rainfall on an annual basis in the Saudi capital, but there was a flood of equine activity almost as soon as the clock struck seven on a cool Wednesday morning at King Abdulaziz. That is because a good many of the international raiders for Saturday's Saudi Cup meeting took to the main track almost as one, causing a real stir--in one case, a bit of a scare. The Noboru Takagi-trained Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) (inside) and Wilson Tesoro (Jpn)...

Johannes Brahms (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), runner-up as the favourite in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes before filling the same spot in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes while under the care of Aidan O'Brien in 2023, is among a full field of 14 for the first leg of the 4-year-old Classic series in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Classic Mile. The HK$13-million event anchors Friday's Chinese New Year meeting at Sha Tin. Acquired privately after finishing third in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2YO Stakes at Doncaster in September 2023, the Tattersalls October...

Dual Group 1 winner and leading 2,000 Guineas hope Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has been crowned the European Champion Two-Year-Old of 2024 with a rating of 120.  The Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes winner joins fellow Charlie Appleby-trained colts Pinatubo (Ire) and Native Trail (GB) on the Champion Two-Year-Old roll of honour.  "I would imagine he'll go straight into a Guineas," Appleby said at the European Two-Year-Old Classification Press Conference on Tuesday. "I don't really want to test him over the mile beforehand. Firstly, timing-wise and...

Retirement is not on the agenda for multiple Group 1 and Classic-winning jockey Seamie Heffernan who, after partnering six winners so far during a winter stint in Bahrain, joked that he has 'a few scores to settle' back home in Ireland before hanging up the boots. It is nearly a year since the 52-year-old announced that he would not be returning to Ballydoyle to ride for Aidan O'Brien, as a result bringing the curtain down on a 30-year relationship that yielded countless big winners across the globe.  Heffernan has ridden...

The 2020 Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) has been retired from racing, part-owner Nick Williams confirmed to Racing.com on Thursday. The son of Galileo (Ire) was a 25-1 shot when providing trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record eighth Derby win, having gained his first career victory in a maiden at the Curragh only seven days earlier. His pillar-to-post success at Epsom, when beating Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) by five and a half lengths, was also achieved in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, causing the Classic to be run...

Continuing our series, Adam Houghton reveals his love affair with the Juddmonte International and where the latest name on the roll of honour ranks among his York greats. Horse of the year: City Of Troy 'Boring!' I can almost hear the cries of derision from the desk here in my box room, the accusation that I'm simply following the crowd with another accolade for the mantelpiece of City Of Troy's altogether more roomy box at Coolmore Stud. True, I'm unlikely to win any prizes for originality with this selection, but...

2024 marked another successful year for the TDN Writers' Room, which is presented by Keeneland and hosted by the team of Bill Finley, Zoe Cadman and Randy Moss. This week we look back on a few of our favorite guests throughout the year. First, we checked in with Richard Migliore ahead of a historic Belmont Stakes weekend. 'Richie' reminisced on Belmonts past and shared what he was looking forward to most for the first-ever 'Belatoga.' "I can already feel the energy that's been in town," Migliore said as he called...

2024 marked another successful year for the TDN Writers' Room, hosted by the team of Bill Finley, Zoe Cadman and Randy Moss. Take a look and a listen to this week's episode, where we look back on a few of our favorite guests throughout the year.