Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien's crop of juveniles had looked short of the usual standard up to Saturday, but five minutes of action across Newmarket and The Curragh changed the conversation with the hugely exciting Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) doing his bit for Ballydoyle in the G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. Not seen since winning in style on debut in a conditions event over this mile trip at Killarney July 14, the imposing Westerberg-Coolmore representative was the subject of heavy support into 8-13 favouritism for this prize Aidan O'Brien had already won...

Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}-Senta's Dream {GB}, by Danehill), the winner of this year's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and GI Beverly D. S., has died after suffering complications from a fractured pelvis. "Unfortunately she had fractured her pelvis and that displaced overnight," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "It's terrible really, when it displaced it caused internal bleeding and we didn't have any choice as she was in a lot of pain. It's such a shame." Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, Santa Barbara won her lone start at...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said plans remain in place for Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the last two winners of the G1 Oaks, to line up in the Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe despite both fillies being eclipsed in their preps. Snowfall won the Oaks, the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks before making up ground too late to be second in the G1 Prix Vermeille on Sept. 12. "She came out of the Vermeille very well--we're very happy with her,"...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has "backed off" five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) after the 3-year-old once again exhibited soreness in the area of a minor injury he sustained this summer. St Mark's Basilica missed the G1 Juddmonte International at York last month after a cut on a hind leg caused by a thrown shoe became infected, and although the dual French Classic and G1 Eclipse S. winner returned to win the G1 Irish Champion S. 10 days ago, he has since been sore in the area...

This year's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix Rothschild winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will be re-routed from next month's Golden Eagle in Australia to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 6 to take the place of Ballydoyle's dual Grade I winner Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {Ire}), who is likely to miss the meeting after suffering a setback. "Unfortunately Santa Barbara has had a setback," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "It doesn't look at the moment as if she's going to make the Breeders' Cup. We've now rerouted...

The Week In Review, by Bill Finley The Breeders' Cup announced Saturday that it had begun a review process to determine whether or not trainer Bob Baffert will be allowed to compete in this year's championship event. The outcome of that review is pending. "The Breeders' Cup Board has commenced a review process as to whether Bob Baffert will be permitted to participate in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships," read a statement from the Breeders' Cup. "The process will include an opportunity for Mr. Baffert to present his case...

Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith and Masaaki Matsushima's Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) may return for Belmont's Oct. 9 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, according to T.J. Comerford, traveling assistant for trainer Aidan O'Brien. "He ran well at Saratoga. He was a little unlucky that he didn't get out, but he ran a really good race," Comerford said. "He stays well. He actually seems to be getting better. He seems to be coming back to his old self, which is good. He's a Juddmonte winner at...

Coolmore and Westerberg's newcomer River Thames (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) sported Michael Tabor's second colours for Tuesday's BetVictor Supporting Irish Racing Maiden at Punchestown, but was very much first choice coming home and shaped with abundant promise by earning TDN Rising Stardom with a neck defeat of stablemate Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He was isolated in a mid-division berth as the field stretched out over many lengths through halfway. Making impressive headway under pressure off the home turn, the 5-1 chance quickened smartly to take second entering the final furlong and...

Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown may have been short on quantity, but was certainly not lacking in quality as Coolmore's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) maintained his winning streak at the highest level with a fifth such triumph in a thrilling finale to the €1,000,000 10-furlong contest. Backing up a juvenile high in Newmarket's G1 Dewhurst S., the 3-year-old bay has carried all before him during a banner sophomore campaign,  which has also witnessed victories in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club...

This year's dual Classic and G1 Coral-Eclipse S. winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on track to resume his season in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 11. The bay was forced to miss the G1 Juddmonte International after a cut on a hind leg caused by a lost shoe became infected. "St Mark's Basilica is on the right road," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "It's a case of all good so far and we're on track." O'Brien also provided updates on his star 3-year-old fillies...

Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris already this summer, will line up for Godolphin in the G1 Cazoo St Leger on Sept. 11, one of 18 colts and fillies left in the fall Classic. G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who also races for Godolphin, will not take part, and instead target the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Richard Hannon's Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), one better than...

Keeping it very simple, Ryan Moore took Saturday's G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity S. by the scruff of the neck on the 1-6 favourite Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and yet again the TDN Rising Star was able to gallop his rivals into the ground from the front. Returning to The Curragh at which he had made his impressive debut June 2, the 1-6 favourite was kept honest by his chief market rival Maritime Wings (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who had chased him home in the G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown...