Aidan O'Brien

Leopardstown's usually-informative G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. looked a touch on the disappointing side even before the loss of two key players in Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and so what the form of the four-runner affair amounts to will have to be seen in time. What it did provide was a remarkable 16th success in the race for Aidan O'Brien as the stable's understudy to Mountain Bear, Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never), showed a game attitude to make all under...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shambolic {Ire}, by Shamardal), who made all for a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with an impressive 2 3/4-length debut tally tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh in her only prior start, maintained her perfect record with a carbon-copy performance in Thursday's G3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown. The prohibitively priced 1-4 favourite was slick from the inside gate and seized an early two length advantage in this black-type bow. Untroubled through halfway, she was shaken up with 1 1/2...

No horse has ever improved at Ballydoyle quite to the extent that Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) has this season, according to Aidan O'Brien, who provided an upbeat bulletin on the colt ahead of the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood.  Paddington has swept all before him this season. Having begun his campaign in handicaps, he landed the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the St James's Palace S. and more recently the Coral-Eclipse S, proving that he is equally as adept over a mile than he is over 10 furlongs.  The plan is...

Donnacha O'Brien says that he is under no illusions about the task facing Mysteries (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Thursday's Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown where she will come up against the ante-post 1,000 Guineas favourite Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}).  Trained by his father Aidan O'Brien, Ylang Ylang made a big impression on debut at the Curragh last month and sky-rocketed to the head of the betting for next year's Classics as a result.  While Donnacha views his Curragh maiden winner Mysteries in good regard, he says Ylang Ylang...

Kevin Stott has billed Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. as the race of the season so far and backed his mount King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to exact revenge on his Derby conqueror Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). However, the jockey warned that the Ascot showpiece is far from a two-horse race, and described being a part of such a spectacle as incredibly exciting.  King Of Steel finished just a half a length behind Auguste Rodin at huge odds of 66-1 in the G1...

Desert Crown (GB) is set to return from his latest injury setback in Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. as last year's Derby winner is one of 15 runners still in contention for the £1.25 million Ascot contest. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of Nathaniel (Ire) stormed to Classic glory at Epsom in 2022 before spending almost a year on the sidelines before making his return in the Brigadier Gerard in May where he finished second to Owen Burrows' reopposing Hukum. A further setback ruled...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a daughter of a juvenile Group 1 winner. 14.00 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, f, 7fT MAYFAIR (IRE) (Justify) debuts for Ballydoyle in the maiden won two years ago by the stable's star Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and carries obvious gravitas as the second foal out...

Making it another big day in Kildare for Ballydoyle, Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) brought up a treble for O'Brien and Moore in the G2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup on Saturday. Fourth on unsuitably quick ground in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, the G3 Loughbrown S. and Listed Vintage Crop S. winner had it all falling into place after the rain and was able to wait patiently in mid-division early. Surrendering first run to market-rival Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at the top of...

It was a case of save it until the last minute as Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Daddys Lil Darling, by Scat Daddy) left hearts in mouths en route to delivering Aidan O'Brien a record seventh G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at a rain-soaked Curragh on Saturday. Failing to match her 22-length Listed Cheshire Oaks success when second in the G1 Oaks in June, the 10-11 favourite enjoyed the perfect trip until the straight and looked flat-footed and beaten as the sponsors' TDN Rising Star Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) swooped on the Ballydoyle...

Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Irish EBF Maiden, among them 2013 winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and he claimed Saturday's latest edition with Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who collected a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with a taking performance in the seven-furlong test. The eventual winner was steadily away and raced in a close-up third initially and eased into second approaching halfway. Hitting the front soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 5-4 favourite was never seriously threatened thereafter and...

by Emma Berry & Heather Anderson    A field of eight make up Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, and a strong Irish contingent faces just one English challenger, Juddmonte's Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Aidan O'Brien runs four fillies, including the favourite, Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Aga Khan homebred Azazat (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is another who is taking her chance in this 1 1/2-mile Classic at the Curragh, and will attempt to become the third winner for her owner/breeder after Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in 1997 and Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar...

Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will spearhead a four-pronged attack from Aidan O'Brien on Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh. The master of Ballydoyle has already won the fillies' Classic on six occasions, a joint-record alongside Sir Michael Stoute. O'Brien looks to have every chance of going out on his own this weekend, with 22-length Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Savethelastdance the likely favourite on her first start since finishing runner-up behind Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the Oaks at Epsom last month. Her biggest threat could prove to...