Aidan O'Brien

Proving yet again that Aidan O'Brien's second string is never to be discounted in pattern races, the 25-1 shot Merrily (No Nay Never--Caponata, by Selkirk) swooped to conquer in Friday's G3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket. Anchored in rear early by Wayne Lordan, the relative of Sunday's Arc heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) was a touch free early in response the switch in tactics from her latest fifth in the G3 Weld Park Stakes. Saving her energy for the finale this time, the $325,000 Keeneland September...

Back in 2010, when Wootton Bassett (GB) registered what would ultimately be his defining success in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, few would have predicted the considerable impact he would have on the breed. Fourteen years on, the extent to which he has grown in stature during his second career was felt in the same Qatar-sponsored race as his son Camille Pissarro (Ire) stepped up to reward Coolmore's faith and investment in the sire's raw material. Up to seven furlongs and fitted with blinkers for the first time, Ballydoyle's TDN...

Coolmore and Westerberg's G3 Stanerra Stakes victrix Grateful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Tepin, by Bernstein), who hit the board in last month's G2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster, made the necessary transition under an inspired ride from Christophe Soumillon to secure a career high in Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp. She became the fourth winner on the card for a dominant Aidan O'Brien. Employing patiently tactics and settled off the tempo for most of this 14-furlong marathon, the 207-10 chance made relentless headway out wide in the straight to...

Ballydoyle's star stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Polished Gem {Ire}, by Danehill) went unbeaten through six contests in 2022 and completed an exact replica of that campaign with a pillar-to-post triumph in Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp. That 2022 season included an extravagant win in this marathon event, but it was a more straightforward affair this time around. The 1-5 favourite, fresh off a second success in the G1 Irish St Leger, went straight to the front and sent an even tempo for the most part. Gearing up...

Coolmore's G1 St Leger runner-up Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Danedrop {Ire}), by Danehill), winner of Royal Ascot's G2 Queen's Vase back in June, fired the opening salvo of ParisLongchamp's Arc weekend and delivered a battling performance to prevail in the 15-furlong G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay. The 2-5 favourite, who had also placed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G1 Grand Prix de Paris, went straight to the lead and held sway until turning for home. Under pressure when headed briefly by Trafalgar Square (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) with 300 metres remaining,...

Maintaining the theme of first-season sires having their first black-type winner at Dundalk on Friday evening, Castle Hyde Stud's resident Arizona (Ire) (by No Nay Never) was off the mark in that sphere as his son Right And True (Ire) captured the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Star Appeal Stakes. Off the mark at the fifth attempt over a mile at Listowel last month, the 13-2 shot was in front initially before being steadied by Ronan Whelan to take a lead from fellow Ballydoyle runner Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief). Mastering...

Aidan O'Brien provided a positive bulletin on Ballydoyle star City Of Troy (Justify) after he galloped at Southwell last month. The Coolmore partners' talented son of Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is gearing up for start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November. "He's very good. We were delighted with him at Southwell and everything has gone very well with him since," O'Brien told Sky Sports Racing. "He's started his build up now and so far everything seems good." The bay is riding a three-race winning streak, having claimed...

The likely Ballydoyle runners for Arc weekend, led by G1 Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), were unveiled by Aidan O'Brien on Tuesday. Fourth in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes, Los Angeles is one of two probable runners for O'Brien in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, where he will be joined by 2023 G1 St Leger hero and G2 Prix Foy third Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). "We think the most likely two are Los Angeles and Continuous," he said. "We think the ground probably isn't...

Coolmore's Heavens Gate (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Itqaan, by Danzig), with a half-dozen prior outings under her belt, was the most experienced of nine contenders entering Sunday's G3 Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and her ringcraft was a telling factor  in the seven-furlong contest as she delivered a display of power to claim a career high. She had previously hit the board in the G3 Albany Stakes and G2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and annexed a valuable pot at Naas in her penultimate start before running fourth in York's G2 Lowther...

Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes was billed as a heavyweight bout between unbeaten 'TDN Rising Stars' Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Quiet Reflection {GB}, by Showcasing {GB}) and Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and it was the former who emerged on top with a scintillating performance dropped in trip for the six-furlong test. Lake Victoria had attained 'TDN Rising Star' status in her June 28 debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh before notching a pillar-to-post victory in last month's G3 Sweet Solera Stakes and went postward as the 6-4 favourite...

Abundant rain turned Newmarket's ground to heavy before Friday's action and while it sunk the much-vaunted Formal (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes, it proved no hindrance to fellow TDN Rising Star Bubbling (Ire) (No Nay Never--Lumiere Noire {Fr}, by Dashing Blade {GB}) as she became the latest Ballydoyle juvenile filly to register a black-type win in 2024. Partnered by Ryan Moore after the stable's Ecstatic (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) was taken out due to the going, the impressive Galway maiden winner and Listed...

The dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) will make one final appearance in the Japan Cup on November 24 before retiring to stand at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.  The four-year-old son of Japan's breed-shaping stallion Deep Impact (Jpn) has won at the highest level in each of his seasons in training, landing the Vertem Futurity after his initial black-type success in the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.  At three, despite disappointing in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas on his seasonal debut, he put together a formidable CV of four Group/Grade 1...