Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien trainee Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}--Aktoria {Fr}, by Canford Cliffs {Ire}) lined up for Monday's G3 Prix Greffulhe coming back off a third in last month's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp and dipped into deep reserves to prevail in a thrilling finish to the 10 1/2-furlong test. He had concluded a five-race juvenile campaign with a fourth in Newmarket's Sept. 24 G2 Royal Lodge S. in his penultimate start and stalked the pace in second for the most part. Readied for his challenge passing the quarter-mile marker,...

Some TDN Rising Stars are marginal calls, but Ballydoyle's River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Transcendence {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) entered the "no-brainer" category at Navan on Saturday with a 10-length blitz of his rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Always travelling strongly for Ryan Moore tracking the leader in the five-furlong 164 yards contest won by fellow TDN Rising Star and stablemate Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) 12 months ago, the 5-6 favourite was let loose approaching two out and devoured the uphill climb to the line...

If there were any fitness doubts about TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) ahead of Sunday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, they were answered categorically as Ballydoyle's almost-forgotten talent worked hard to prevail and get back on track on his comeback. Set a stiff task by the race-hardened Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay Never) as that Listed Devoy S. winner took no prisoners on the front end, the 2021 G2 Futurity S.-winning full-brother to stable stalwart Broome (Ire) was kept close by Wayne Lordan...

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never--Ruby Tuesday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) gave the perfect audition for Royal Ascot and outwitted his four rivals to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette in Sunday's Irish Racehorse Experience At INS Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh. The even-money favourite broke on the lead before settling in a close-up third after the initial strides of this six-furlong contest. Inching forward on the bridle to launch his challenge going well at the quarter-mile marker, he was shaken up to...

Coolmore's first-season sire Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (by No Nay Never) was the latest freshman off the blocks on Tuesday as the Ballydoyle newcomer Brighter (Fr) duelled to success in Dundalk's five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Sent off the 13-8 second favourite behind the 11-8 choice Vanity Pays (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), the €110,000 Arqana Deauville October purchase who is a half to the Listed Prix Volterra scorer Charm Appeal (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) was swiftly away under Ryan Moore and on the flanks of the leader Love Ya (Ire)...

With her sights set firmly on sprinting in 2023, TDN Rising Star Tenebrism (Caravaggio--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) issued an early warning to that brigade with a smooth comeback win in the Listed Cork S. on Saturday. Keen initially for Ryan Moore, the 11-10 favourite eventually settled behind the pace and when cajoled to the front approaching the furlong pole showed her familiar surge to take control and register a 1 3/4-length success from the 3-year-old Wodao (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}). "She could go to Naas in two weeks and...

Observations web blurb: 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.Wednesday's Observations features a pair of Justify colts debuting for Ballydole at Leopardstown. 1.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, f, 10fT ALL TIME GREAT (Justify) is the third foal out of the GI E. P. Taylor S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has...

4th-Navan, Mdn, 3-29, 3yo, 10fT. GOOLOOGONG (IRE) (c, 3, Australia {GB}--Muwakaba, by Elusive Quality). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-Capital Bloodstock (Ire); T-Aidan O'Brien. The name of Navan winner Gooloogong has an impeccable Down Under connection, being by renowned sire (and Epsom & Irish Derby winner) Australia. In fact, "Gooloogong is a village located in New South Wales, Australia, population 295", according to Wikipedia. The name of the hamlet also evokes (with a very slightly different spelling) that of Australian tennis phenomenon Evonne Goolagong, who was born...

Following on where stablemate Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had left off half an hour earlier, Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Athena {Ire}, by Camelot {GB}) supplied further notice that Ballydoyle hold many of the aces in the Classic pack as she swept aside her rivals in Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Successful in the G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip and track in July, the 2-1 favourite who had last been seen finishing third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac...

Just a notch below the top at two, TDN Rising Star Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shadow Hunter {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) enjoyed the ideal confidence boost on his return in a depleted renewal of Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" 2,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Second in the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh in August and fifth in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. back at that venue when last seen the following month, the 8-13 favourite was held up early by Ryan Moore as fellow Ballydoyle runner...

Providing it survives a morning inspection, with the ground currently heavy and more rain forecast, Leopardstown's intriguing Sunday fixture will see a trio of Classic trials flooded with a big Ballydoyle presence including the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Due to make his eagerly-awaited second career start in the G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S., the centre of much attention at Rosegreen oozed class when beating his talented stablemate and eventual G1 Criterium International runner-up Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the extended mile maiden at Galway...

Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), the Aga Khan's 2022 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up, is likely to renew his rivalry in an early-season rematch with Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Prix Ganay after connections confirmed that is his most likely target on Wednesday. In last year's G1 Irish Champion S., it was the Aidan O'Brien trainee Luxembourg who struck first by beating Jean-Claude Rouget's charge over soft ground at Leopardstown on Sept. 10. With even more give in the ground a month later, the Aga Khan colt...