Aidan O'Brien

Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be freshened until a likely start on QIPCO British Champions Day in October, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed. After breaking his maiden at second asking at two, the Coolmore partners runner won his first six starts at three, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. He suffered only his second career loss when a game third to Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Wednesday....

Sent off the even-money favourite for Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. at a wet Curragh, Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) came home alone to reward that faith. Off the mark over this mile trip at Leopardstown in July and second over seven furlongs at this track earlier this month, the half-sister to War Front's Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna tracked the pace in second under Seamie Heffernan before taking control approaching two out. Stretching clear from there, the homebred registered an impressive 6 1/2-length success from stablemate...

Coolmore and Westerberg's G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Sea Siren {Aus}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was unable to land a telling blow when fifth behind stablemate Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in last month's G1 Irish Oaks and stepped out of the shadows to claim a career high in a thrilling renewal of Thursday's G1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, becoming the 99th Group 1 winner for her sire. The 9-1 chance, who had earlier outbobbed Irish Oaks runner-up and 'TDN Rising Star' Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) in Newbury's...

Coolmore and Westerberg's Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}--Fluff {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) had failed to get his nose in front in three starts since saluting in last term's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud and bounced back under a Ryan Moore masterclass to claim a career high in Wednesday's G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. at York. Detached in rear and patiently ridden as the hitherto undefeated Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) set searching fractions up front, the 4-1 chance inched ever closer in the straight to launch his challenge...

   When a horse like Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) comes along, the challenge is to find a new narrative as big-race win follows big-race win. There is no up-and-down to colour the story, no bouncing back from adversity, no heroic turnaround from setback. It is a clear case of superiority winning out each time, as it feels to watch Man City's relentless march through football's major tournaments on the other side of the Pennines. Sometimes, the truth is the horse does the talking and it is clear that we are...

Making light work of Saturday's G2 Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Minding {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) continued the golden spell of the yard's 2-year-olds in 2023. Backed into 2-9 favouritism, the son of the brilliant 1000 Guineas and Oaks heroine who had opened his account in style over this course and seven-furlong distance last month tracked the ultimately-disappointing Spanish Flame (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) until taking command 2 1/2 out under Ryan Moore. Chased to...

Aidan O'Brien confirmed TDN Rising Star River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) remains on track for Sunday's G1 Prix Morny at Deauville despite missing a piece of work two weeks ago. Campaigned by Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg and Brant, the juvenile was last seen winning the June 20 G1 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. "The plan is to run River Tiber [this weekend]," O'Brien told Sky Sports Racing. "He had a setback a couple of weeks ago so there will be a cloud over him when we do run him...

Some water has passed under the bridge since we last had the privilege of seeing Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), but all that has really happened has been the strengthening of his aura and it is with great anticipation that Deauville welcomes him back from his mini-break in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. While the clock suggested at the time that Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's representative had produced something special in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, subsequent events have proven that his performance in that 10 1/2-furlong...

Jockey Frankie Dettori expects Shadwell's G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to offer a significant challenge to Westerberg, Brant and Coolmore's four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) when the pair meet up in next week's G1 Juddmonte International at York, the rider told Nick Luck on the presenter's Daily Podcast Monday. Dettori is deputising for regular jockey Jim Crowley, who will be sidelined while suspended for his winning ride aboard Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI & Queen...

Saturday's Bord Na Mona Recycling Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh has been a springboard to success in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. for Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who annexed two of the last three editions. This year's renewal witnessed the emergence of another potential candidate after Aidan O'Brien trainee Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) romped to 'TDN Rising Stardom' in the seven-furlong contest. He had already caused a stir at Newmarket last October, when knocked down for 2.4-million guineas at...

Almost a year to the day since his electrifying G1 Phoenix S. victory, last year's European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) has been retired due to injury. After disappointing in the G1 2000 Guineas, the 'TDN Rising Star' made light work of the opposition in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock before running second to Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, after trailing home behind Shaquille in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, it emerged on Wednesday...

You've heard for a while that Saturday's edition of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. is a special one. "Race for the ages" has been bandied about and for good reason given the accumulation of top-class mile-and-a-half horses set for the Ascot joust. What had for so long been starved of a meaningful intergenerational clash and threatened to become a bygone curio has suddenly been dusted off and revived due largely to the presence of the Derby winner. Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is no...