Aidan O'Brien

With the last eight winners of the G1 Cazoo Oaks hailing from Ballydoyle or Clarehaven, this particular rivalry is taking on epic proportions unmatched in the great Epsom Classic's history. Not even the duels between the race's record holder Robert Robson and Dixon Boyce in the early 19th century and between the current Rosegreen maestro and the late Sir Henry Cecil at the end of and beginning of the 20th and 21st enjoyed such mutually-exclusive domination. There is more than a strong chance that it will be extended on Friday,...

There was drama at the draw for Chantilly's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club on Sunday, with a second draw required after an error in the initial process. Due to the withdrawn Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) being left in the bowl as the balls were selected on Thursday morning, France Galop opted to re-do the draw at 5pm which is sure to spark controversy for those who suffered a twist of fate. With no winner drawn in double figures since New Bay (GB) in 2015, the advantage of a...

With Roger Varian trainee Eydon (Ire) (Olden Times {GB}) scratched from Epsom's G1 Cazoo Derby on Wednesday afternoon, the remaining 17 contenders all stood their ground at Thursday morning's declaration stage. Sir Michael Stoute seeks a sixth Blue Riband with Saeed Suhail's undefeated G2 Dante S. winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and the TDN Rising Star will depart from the 12 box. Godolphin's supplementary entry Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) has been allocated stall five with stablemate Walk of Stars (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set to start from stall nine....

Kept waiting over three weeks for the re-emergence of Age of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Turret Rocks {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) following his highly promising debut at Naas, the Irish racing faithful were able to revel in a second outing full of top-class potential on Wednesday as he became the fifth TDN Rising Star among Ballydoyle's current juvenile crop. Backed into 4-7 favouritism for The Curragh's six-furlong Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Race, the 1.1million gns Book 1 graduate was able to cruise in front under Ryan Moore before being...

Coolmore, Westerberg and Merriebelle Stables' 2-year-old filly Statuette (Justify--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was hammered into 11-10 favoritism for Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Navan and justified that welter of support by powering clear of her rivals in the latter stages to attain TDN Rising Stardom on debut. The March-foaled chestnut was well away to track the leaders in a share of third through the early stages. Nudged along to close soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to lead with 150 yards remaining...

Aidan O'Brien and his son Donnacha are among a group of plaintiffs associated with Ballydoyle and Coolmore who issued legal proceedings against animal feed supplier Glanbia over the contaminated feed debacle on G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend in 2020. The multi-million euro lawsuit was initiated this week and comes after O'Brien's runners could not take part at the Arc meeting due to positive test results from a French laboratory for the prohibited performance enhancing substance Zilpaterol.  None of the five horses who tested positive were trained by O'Brien...

There is something about Galileo (Ire) and the Curragh's hallowed strip of running ground that made such a perfect fit as his star rose inexorably throughout the last two decade or so and, while several of the track's signature races bear his name as sire, the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas does so markedly. Six of the last 11 and the last three winners of the fillies' Classic all carried his stamp and, of course, they all hailed from the colony of class assembled at Rosegreen. Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore's...

Already a dual winner prior to Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the picture of professionalism as he made all under Ryan Moore to assume the mantle of generation leader. Already hardened by the experience of battle in this track's May 2 Listed First Flier S., the 5-2 second favourite set out to dictate on this first foray over six furlongs and relished the extra distance as he shook off the even-money market-leader Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to stretch...

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate...

Godolphin's quest for a unique 2000 Guineas treble with three different colts is set to culminate in Saturday's €500,000 G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, where the hot favourite Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) will face eight peers. Drawn in stall one, which was occupied by two of the last three winners of the Classic in Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), he will start against the rail as he seeks compensation for his defeat in the Apr....

Leading Irish 1,000 Guineas fancy Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not run at the Curragh on Sunday and will instead chart a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 17. The decision was made after the filly was ridden in a key workout by Frankie Dettori over the weekend and the news was revealed by Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson on Monday. Richardson said that it was the recommendation of joint-trainer John Gosden to go straight to Royal Ascot and bypass the Curragh this weekend. He explained,...

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old filly Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never--Pembina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) impressed with a 3 1/4-length debut tally tackling five furlongs at the Curragh last month and was equally adept over the six-furlong strip at Naas to secure Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. en route to next month's G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Positioned in a close second after the initial strides, the 2-1 joint-favourite loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to assert superiority...